2025 Class Actions

Class actions are expanding in complexity and scope, recent data shows that privacy, antitrust, and ESG concerns continue to shape large-scale litigation.

US: Privacy, Securities Fraud, and Consumer Protection

Privacy & Data Breach

• Growth driven by the CCPA and BIPA, focusing on biometric tracking and AI-driven data misuse
• Settlement values rose from $515.75M (2023) to $593.2M (2024)

Securities & Shareholder Fraud

• Prevalent despite a drop from $5.4B (2023) to $2.55B (2024) in total settlements
• Rising actions against tech companies for AI misrepresentations and inflated stock valuations

Consumer Protection & False Advertising

• Increasing lawsuits targeting deceptive marketing and auto-renewal subscriptions
• Greenwashing settlements indicate growing focus on misleading environmental claims

Europe: Competition, ESG, and Product Liability

Competition & Antitrust (UK, Portugal, Netherlands)

• UK leads with class action values at €66.3B in 2023
• Portugal overtakes the Netherlands at €45.8B, mainly due to aviation competition claims

ESG & Climate Litigation (Netherlands, Germany, France)

• Focus on corporate climate responsibility, greenwashing, and supply-chain accountability
• The CSDDD encourages NGO-led lawsuits, illustrated by Greenpeace Netherlands and PFAS claims in Sweden

Product Liability & Consumer Safety (France, UK, Germany)

• New EU Product Liability Directive raises risks in healthcare, automotive, and tech
• Defective product claims often target pharmaceutical firms and digital platforms

Key differences and expectations

Overall, privacy and securities fraud remain prominent in the US, while competition, ESG, and product liability claims drive European class actions. Shifting regulations, increased litigation funding, and cross-border enforcement are set to define global class actions throughout 2025.

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Sources:

Duane Morris Class Action Review 2025

CMS European Class Action Report 2024