Case # 16519004371

Per the Environmental Marketing Guidlines:

"California Law

* Plastic and bioplastic products sold into California can only be labeled as compostable, home compostable, or marine degradable if they meet the applicable ASTM standard or have the Vincotte OK Compost HOME certification. If your product meets the applicable ASTM or Vincotte standard, it should meet the additional labeling requirements as set forth by California law, and such information should be included on the product detail page.

* Plastic and bioplastic products sold into California may not be labeled as biodegradable, degradable, or decomposable, or imply that the plastic product will break down or decompose.

* Amazon will restrict the sale of plastic and bioplastic products labeled with these prohibited terms into California.

* If you are a seller of a plastic and bioplastic product that meets the applicable ASTM or Vincotte standard, Amazon may require that you provide proof demonstrating that your and bioplastic plastic product meets such standards."

After deactivating 13 of my listings in the state of California I responded:

Hello, the following ASIN's have been improperly restricted for sale in the state of California. The following items contain ZERO plastic or bioplastic of any kind, the bar soaps are plastic free themselves, contain zero synthetics of any kind and the product packaging is comprised entirely of paper with a plant-based ink. These items are 100% at-home compostable and biodegradable in their natural form and given that there is no plastic of any kind, the restriction does not apply.

In addition, the following ASIN states the packaging is recyclable and does not use the words "compostable" or "biodegradable" in any way: B0DHYRMN3X.

Their response?

"We received your appeal, but we are unable to reactivate your ASINs at this time.

Why did this happen?

The product detail page for the ASINs indicated in the next paragraph is not compliant with our policies.

What actions do I need to take?

To reactivate your ASINs, remove the prohibited content indicated below from your product detail page or provide additional evidence of compliance:

Recommended changes to be done: Kindly remove the prohibited claims that are prohibited from your detail page, such as the word "Biodegradable", as such products are prohibited from making claims on Amazon.

This product has been identified as a plastic product that makes an explicit or implied biodegradable claim or unsubstantiated compostable claim. Although permissible for listing on Amazon, plastic products making these claims are not compliant with California law and cannot be sold into California."

So even when you comply with a policy, you aren't complying with a policy because they said so. Even though the policy page states the terms are allowable on Amazon, that they aren't allowed in regard to non-certified plastics, the term is still punishable by deactivation. Can't even follow your own policies and its honestly rage inducing because I totally have 3 hours to remedy a problem that doesn't exist. Paper is biodegradable, we use no plastics, no synthetics, no glues on these packages or in the products themselves. FTC compliant, state of California compliant, Amazon.... never compliant.