Neutrogena stock dips as boycott calls rise over former ambassador Hayden Panettiere's contract termination

Neutrogena's shares slipped about 2 percent on Monday after social-media users called for a boycott of the skincare company. The backlash centers on the brand's decision to end its ten-year partnership with actress Hayden Panettiere in 2015, shortly after she spoke publicly about postpartum depression.

In a memoir excerpt published earlier this year, Panettiere wrote that her contract was cancelled while she was receiving treatment for addiction and postpartum depression, describing the loss as “another blow in a year that had given almost nothing else.” She later told the Jay Shetty Podcast that her agreement contained moral clauses and that she was dismissed after mentioning her struggles on a 2015 television appearance. > "I wasn’t planning on talking about postpartum depression, I was just being honest," she said.

Panettiere’s representative indicated that terminating the contract on the basis of her maternal health could have been illegal, but the partnership was not renewed after 2015. The actress said she received no outreach from Neutrogena following her death at age 36 on Sunday.

The story has resurfaced online, prompting numerous comments criticizing the brand's handling of the situation. While the stock has largely recovered, the calls for a boycott remain active. The publication has contacted Neutrogena for comment and will update the story if a response is received.