A Different Legal Approach in European Talc Cases

Kenvue uses its own legal defense in Europe to limit its exposure to worldwide talc lawsuits by dealing with regional variances

Friday, June 27, 2025 - Kenvue, a new consumer health company that split off from its U.S. parent company, is using a different legal tactic to fight talcum powder cases that are popping up all over Europe. Kenvue is fighting each country's cases independently, taking advantage of the fact that the laws are different in each country. This is happening as European consumers file claims saying that long-term usage of talc caused ovarian cancer and mesothelioma. This is very different from the unified multidistrict litigation (MDL) system in the US, where hundreds of baby powder ovarian cancer lawsuits have been combined. A lawyer who works with people who have been hurt by talcum powder argues that Kenvue's scattered approach is meant to lower worldwide liability by making it harder for European litigants to work together. Victims in a number of nations say they used Kenvue's talc-based products every day for decades after advertising campaigns that said talc was safe for personal hygiene. Talcum powder cancer ovarian attorneys say that there is evidence that talc may have been contaminated with asbestos and that the companies that made the powder didn't tell people about the known hazards, which made people more likely to get cancers that could have been avoided. Kenvue wants to take advantage of variances in national product liability laws, statutes of limitations, and standards for scientific evidence by fighting each case separately. This will make it harder to coordinate lawsuits.

The European Commission says that talcum powder is still widely available in European markets, but companies are being pressured to rethink their safety standards because of more government oversight. In Europe, product liability rules usually require plaintiffs to establish both that the product was defective and that it caused the problem. This can be harder than in U.S. jury trials, where consumer-friendly judgments have become more common. Talcum powder cancer lawyers say that Kenvue's divided defense is an attempt to take advantage of these greater hurdles of proof in order to postpone or lower damage awards. However, these techniques may not work as well if European consumer advocacy, public health groups, and legal networks work together. Regulators are looking at new scientific data, such as studies that show a link between long-term usage of talc on the genitals and a higher risk of ovarian cancer. Some European countries have started holding parliamentary hearings to find out if the rules that protect consumers against talc dangers are strong enough. People who watch the law think that successful trials in certain European countries could lead to more lawsuits across the EU, similar to what has happened in pharmaceutical mass torts. Kenvue's strategy shows how talcum powder lawsuits are becoming more worldwide as plaintiffs seek justice in other countries. Even though Kenvue is no longer part of its old parent firm, the growing number of cases may force the company to talk about settling claims in both Europe and the US.

Kenvue is using a broken legal defense in European talcum powder cancer cases to limit its financial risk around the world. Talcum powder cancer lawyers say that this technique delays accountability by taking advantage of variances in the law between countries. European regulators are looking hard at the safety of talc since more and more scientific data points to a link between talc and cancer. Consumer advocates working together to push for united legal action are putting more and more pressure on the company's regional approach. As lawsuits grow, Kenvue may eventually have to deal with legal and regulatory problems around the world that are comparable to those in U.S. courts.