Three major corporations have joined a rapidly expanding legal battle to reclaim tariff payments made during former President Donald Trump’s trade policies, following a Supreme Court decision that declared those duties illegal.
Beauty products giant L’Oreal, vacuum cleaner company Dyson, and contact lens manufacturer Bausch + Lomb submitted their lawsuits Monday to the U.S. Court of International Trade. Their legal filings came just days after the nation’s highest court determined Trump exceeded his presidential powers when implementing emergency tariffs.
These companies join an already substantial group of businesses seeking refunds, including shipping giant FedEx and beauty brand Sol de Janeiro, who also filed their cases this week. Court records reveal that more than 1,400 importing companies, including warehouse retailer Costco and tire manufacturer Goodyear, have already initiated similar legal proceedings.
Trade attorneys anticipate a flood of additional lawsuits as businesses attempt to recover what could amount to billions in tariff payments. However, the refund process must still be determined by lower courts, and final resolutions may require months or even years to complete.
According to economists from the Penn Wharton Budget Model, as much as $175 billion in collected U.S. tariffs could potentially be returned to companies. This follows Friday’s 6-3 Supreme Court decision ruling that Trump exceeded his authority by using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, typically reserved for sanctions, to impose import duties.
The current group of companies filing suits represents just a small portion of businesses that may qualify for refunds.
L’Oreal’s lawsuit was submitted through L’Oreal Travel Retail Americas, the company’s division that operates in airports and travel-related retail locations.
All four companies – L’Oreal, Dyson, Bausch + Lomb, and Sol de Janeiro – stated in their legal documents that they served as official importers for products affected by the emergency tariff measures. L’Oreal has not disclosed the specific refund amount they are seeking.
The companies have not yet provided responses to media inquiries. Following the pattern of other similar cases, their lawsuits name U.S. Customs and Border Protection, agency commissioner Rodney Scott, and the United States government as defendants. Neither CBP nor White House officials have responded to requests for comment.
