If you happened to buy a Breyers Vanilla Ice Cream in the past eight years, you might just be in for a payday — or at least a bit of cash back in your pocket.
Recently, an $8.85 million settlement was reached in a class action lawsuit filed against Unilever United States, Inc., the owner of Breyers, and Conopco, Inc., the New York-based advertiser regarding Breyer’s “Natural Vanilla” ice cream, according to a press release from the Supreme Court of the State of New York.
Why Is Breyers Getting Sued?
The lawsuit, settled in September 2024, accused Breyers of falsely advertising its “Natural Vanilla” ice cream by implying that the flavor came only from real vanilla beans when in fact, it contained non-vanilla plant flavors.
Who Is Eligible for the Breyers Settlement?
If you purchased Breyers Natural Vanilla ice cream between April 21, 2016, and August 14, 2024, you may be eligible for a portion of the settlement.
The settlement applies nationwide, so it doesn’t matter if you picked up your ice cream at a local store in Texas, New York, or anywhere else in the United States — you could qualify.
How Much Can You Get From the Settlement?
If you have proof of purchase (like a receipt), you’ll be able to submit as many claims as you have proof for, with each carton qualifying for $1. If you don’t have receipts, you can still claim up to eight cartons, meaning you could get up to $8.
How to Claim Your Settlement?
To claim your piece of the settlement, you’ll need to fill out a claim form, which can be found on the settlement website. Make sure you submit your completed claim form by Feb. 19, 2025, whether you have proof of purchase or not.
Can You Sue Breyers on Your Own?
You have the option to take legal action against Breyers on your own. However, you need to exclude yourself from this settlement by Oct. 31, 2024. To do this, complete the exclusion form available on the settlement website or send an email.
You also have until Oct. 31 to object to the settlement if you disagree with the terms.
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What Happens Next?
A fairness hearing is scheduled for Nov. 21, 2024, where the court will decide if the settlement is reasonable and address any objections. If there are no major issues, the settlement will move forward, and you’ll be on your way to getting your compensation.
After all is finalized, eligible customers who submitted valid claims will receive compensation. This could take some time after the hearing, depending on the court’s schedule and administrative processing.
What Should Breyers Do?
As part of the settlement, Breyers has 12 months to update its Natural Vanilla ice cream formula to ensure it contains only vanilla derived from the vanilla plant. Keep an eye out for those changes on the label if you’re curious about what’s inside.
(In the meantime, you can check out some of our favorite ice cream flavors at the grocery store.)
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