Avon Products Inc. was ordered by a California jury to pay $10.3 million in punitive damages to a woman who blamed her cancer on talc in its cosmetics, in the first such case the company has lost in U.S. litigation.
The Los Angeles Superior Court jury that punished Avon Friday for hiding the risks that some of its talc-based powders can cause cancer had already awarded Rita Chapman $40 million in actual damages, bringing the total in the case to more than $50 million, according to court filings.
The $40 million award was intended to cover Chapman’s pain and medical costs tied to her battle with mesothelioma, a cancer specifically tied to asbestos exposure. Chapman alleged Avon’s powders contained asbestos-tainted talc that made her sick. The company – famous for its door-to-door saleswomen known as “Avon Ladies” – was acquired by Natura Cosmeticos SA in 2020.
“We are disappointed by this verdict and will vigorously pursue all available avenues to appeal,” Avon said in an emailed statement. “Avon is confident that it has strong grounds for appeal and will continue to defend its position.”
Avon faced almost 130 talc suits as of 2020, according to court records. That same year, the company said it