A Californian district judge has halted proceedings in a high profile class action suit pending the outcome of two Ninth Circuit appeals.

Consumer plaintiffs allege that The Hain Celestial Group misleadingly labelled cosmetic products as ‘all natural’, despite the fact that the lines contain synthetic or artificial ingredients.

The judge is now awaiting the decision in two food-labelling cases, which involve disputes around ‘natural’ claims – Jones v. ConAgra Foods Inc and Brazil v Dole Packaged Foods – because decisions relating to class certification and damages will apply to the Hain case also.