Arbonne Served With California Prop 65 Notice Alleging Lead and Cadmium in Protein Shakes

Arbonne International has been served with a formal notice alleging that four of its protein shake products sold in California contain lead, and in one case cadmium, without the warnings required under the state's Proposition 65 law.

The 60-day notice of violation, dated October 13, 2026, was sent by Environmental Research Center, Inc. (ERC), a San Diego-based nonprofit that brings private enforcement actions under the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986. The notice was mailed to Arbonne and its registered agents, uploaded to the California Attorney General's Proposition 65 reporting system and emailed to district attorneys across the state.

The notice names four products as examples. ERC says FeelFit Pea Protein Shake Simply1 Chocolate Flavor, FeelFit Pea Protein Shake Vanilla Flavor and EssentialMeal Meal Replacement Protein Shake Coffee Flavor contain lead. It says EssentialMeal Meal Replacement Protein Shake Chocolate Flavor contains both lead and cadmium. ERC says the list "includes, but is not limited to" these products and that it may keep investigating other Arbonne items.

Proposition 65 requires businesses to give a clear and reasonable warning before exposing California consumers to chemicals the state lists as causing cancer or reproductive harm. California listed lead as a reproductive and developmental toxicant in 1987 and as a carcinogen in 1992. Cadmium was listed as a carcinogen in 1987 and as a developmental and male reproductive toxicant in 1997. According to the notice, exposure comes from ingesting the shakes as directed, and the alleged violations have occurred every day since at least October 13, 2023.

ERC says it intends to file a private enforcement lawsuit in the public interest 60 days after the notice is effectively served, unless a public prosecutor first files and diligently pursues its own action. The group says it would rather settle the matter through an enforceable written agreement under which Arbonne would reformulate the products or add warning labels, pay a civil penalty and give compliant warnings to California customers who bought the products in the past three years. A certificate of merit filed with the notice states that ERC's counsel consulted experts and believes there is a reasonable and meritorious case for a private action.

A Proposition 65 notice is an allegation, not a finding of wrongdoing, and no lawsuit had been filed as of the notice date. The notice does not announce a recall or say the products are unsafe at the levels found. It alleges only that the required warnings are missing. Under the statute, civil penalties can reach $2,500 per violation per day.

Arbonne, headquartered in Irvine, California, sells plant-based skin care, cosmetics and nutrition products, including its FeelFit and EssentialMeal shake lines, through independent consultants.