If you purchased Breyers® Natural Vanilla ice cream as a consumer in the United States from April 21, 2016 through August 14, 2024, you may be eligible for a cash payment from a class action Settlement
BRONX, N.Y., Sept. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ --
A court authorized this Notice. This is not a Solicitation from a lawyer.
An $8.85 million settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit filed against Conopco, Inc., and Unilever United States, Inc. (together, "Defendants"). The Settlement provides cash payments to eligible Settlement Class Members.
What is this lawsuit about? Plaintiffs filed this lawsuit against the Defendants alleging the Defendants' labeling of Breyers® Natural Vanilla ice cream gave consumers the impression the ice cream contained vanilla flavor derived only from the vanilla plant and not from non-vanilla plant sources, and allege that it contained non-vanilla plant vanilla flavors. The Defendants dispute all of these allegations and deny any wrongdoing. The Court has not decided who is right.
Who is included in the Settlement? You may be included in the Settlement if you purchased the Product (Breyers® Natural Vanilla ice cream) in any size in the United States from April 21, 2016 through August 14, 2024. A complete list of the Products can be found at www.VanillaIceCreamSettlement.com.
What are the Settlement Benefits? As a result of the Settlement, the Defendants have agreed to create a Settlement Fund of $8,850,000. Cash payments from the Settlement Fund will be paid to each Settlement Class Member who submits a valid and timely Claim Form.
- Monetary Benefits: Settlement Class Members who submit a valid and timely Claim Form by February 19, 2025 are eligible for a cash payment. Valid Claims with Proof of Purchase will receive $1.00 for each Product, with no Product number limit. Valid Claims without Proof of Purchase will receive $1.00 for each Product, up to a maximum of 8 Products. If you are a Settlement Class Member and submit a Valid Claim for Products with both Proof of Purchase and without Proof of Purchase, the cash payment benefits will be combined. Each Household is limited to and may only submit one single Claim Form.
- Injunctive (Non-Monetary) Benefit: Within 12 months of the Settlement becoming final, the Defendants will be required to develop a new Product formula that does not include vanilla derived from non-vanilla plant sources.
How can I get a payment? If you believe you are a Settlement Class Member and want to obtain a cash payment from the Settlement, you will need to complete and return a valid and timely Claim Form. The Claim Forms, and information on how to submit them, are available on the Settlement website at www.VanillaIceCreamSettlement.com. Claim Forms must be postmarked (if mailed) or received (if submitted online) on or before February 19, 2025.
What are your options? If you want to keep the right to sue or continue to sue the Released Parties for the legal claims in this lawsuit, and you do not want to receive a cash payment from this Settlement, you must take steps to exclude yourself from the Settlement. To request to be excluded from the Settlement, you must fill out the Exclusion Form found on the Settlement Website at www.VanillaIceCreamSettlement.com or you can mail/email a written request for exclusion by October 31, 2024 to the Claims Administrator. If you choose to exclude yourself from the Settlement, you will not be bound by the Settlement or any judgment in this lawsuit. Information on how to mail/email your exclusion request can be found on the Settlement Website or by calling 1-888-603-5137. If you are a Settlement Class Member, and have not excluded yourself from the Settlement, you can object to the Settlement if you don't like any part of it. The deadline to object is October 31, 2024.
What happens next? The Court will hold a Fairness Hearing on November 21, 2024, to consider whether the Settlement is fair, reasonable and adequate. If there are objections, the Court will consider them. You may attend the Final Approval Hearing, but you are not required to do so. You may also pay your own lawyer to attend and speak at the hearing, but that is not necessary. The Court may change these deadlines or the hearing date (and time). Check the website below for updates. Please do not call the Court or the Clerk of the Court for information about the Settlement.
For more information, call 1-888-603-5137 or visit www.VanillaIceCreamSettlement.com.
URL: www.VanillaIceCreamSettlement.com
SOURCE Supreme Court of the State of New York, Brox County
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