Company: WRBY
Filing Date: 2025-02-27
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0001504776-25-000010
Chunk: 217

Company: Warby Parker Inc.
Filing Date: 2025-02-27
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 1
Chunk 217
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, and significant costs in complying with, environmental, health, and safety laws and regulations.

Our operations are subject to various national, state, and local environmental, health, and safety laws and regulations that govern, among other things, the health and safety of our employees and the end-users of our products and the materials used in, and the recycling of, our products and their packaging. Non-compliance with, or liability related to, these laws and regulations, which may become more stringent over time and may be subject to different interpretations, could result in substantial fines or penalties, injunctive relief, civil, or criminal sanctions, and could expose us to costs of investigation or remediation, as well as tort claims for property damage or personal injury.

In addition, a number of governmental authorities, both in the United States and abroad, have adopted, and others have considered, and are expected to consider, legislation aimed at reducing the amount of plastic non-recyclable waste. Programs have included banning certain types of products, mandating certain rates of recycling and/or the use of recycled materials, imposing deposits or taxes on single-use plastic bags, paper bags, reusable bags, and packaging materials. Such legislation, as well as stakeholder pressure or voluntary initiatives, aimed at reducing the level of plastic wastes could result in increased cost of packaging for our products or otherwise require us to alter our current packaging and bagging practices. Additional regulatory efforts addressing other environmental or safety concerns in the future could similarly impact our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

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From time to time, we may be subject to legal proceedings, regulatory disputes, and governmental inquiries that could cause us to incur significant expenses, divert our management’s attention, and materially harm our business, financial condition, and operating results.

From time to time, we may be subject to claims, lawsuits, government investigations, and other proceedings involving products liability, competition and antitrust, intellectual property, privacy, false advertising, consumer protection, securities, tax, labor and employment, commercial disputes, and other matters that could adversely affect our business operations and financial condition. As we have grown, we have seen a rise in the number and significance of these disputes and inquiries. In particular, as we expand our retail store footprint, we are subject to increased costs and risks related to compliance with labor and employment laws. These laws also change frequently, exist at federal, state, and local levels, and may be difficult to interpret and apply. For example, in March 2023, a former employee on behalf of