Consumers of The Rock's energy drink could claim up to $150 — but there's a catch

Getting refunds for recalled products isn't something new for most Americans, but getting a payout without returning anything is rare. Energy drink lovers could be up for a $150 payout as the company ZOA, co-founded by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, has agreed to a $3 million settlement in a class action lawsuit. The energy drink maker is set to settle the case that alleges ZOA Energy LLC used misleading marketing by claiming it had zero preservatives. While the company has not admitted to any wrongdoing, as per the settlement, it has agreed to pay a lump sum, and anyone who bought the drink in the past few years could be eligible to claim a share. 

The class action lawsuit was filed in 2023 over misleading advertisements for ZOA Energy drinks, alleging that the claims of "0 preservatives" on the labels were false as the products contain a significant amount of citric acid and ascorbic acid, which the plaintiff claimed function as chemical preservatives. As per the settlement website, the brand co-owned by the famous wrestler and actor denied all allegations and stated that its "labeling and marketing are truthful, accurate, and compliant with applicable law." The court did not rule on the merits of the claim in the case, Gershzon v. ZOA Energy, LLC, as both parties agreed to settle the matter outside, to avoid the cost and risk of continued litigation, according to the website.

The famous brand, ZOA, distributed the drinks with the label “Zero Preservatives” between March 1, 2021, and November 21 2025. Thus, any customers living in the United States who purchased the drink with the allegedly misleading label during this period are automatically eligible for a payout of up to $150. Under the terms of the settlement, such customers are entitled to claim $1 per unit if they bought the drink for personal use and not for resale purposes. The maximum claim can be of $150 per household, with one claim per household. 

The claims can be submitted online or via a downloaded PDF, which must be mailed to "Gershzon v. Zoa Energy LLC, c/o Kroll Settlement Administration LLC, P.O. Box 225391, New York, NY 10150-5391, as per the New York Post. For online claims, class members need to provide their information, which can be requested on the settlement website. For those who don't have proof of purchase, the maximum claim per household is $10. 

Class members looking to get a share must act quickly, as the claims need to be submitted by Friday, February 20. Customers can also opt out of the settlement by not filing a claim or objecting to the settlement. The final hearing for the settlement is scheduled to take place on March 26. “The proposed relief offered to Class Members will be provided only if the Court gives final approval to the Settlement and, if there are any appeals, after the appeals are resolved in favor of the Settlement,” the website added.

More on Market Realist:

Are you an Android user? You could be eligible for settlement money from Google

Health insurance company to pay $10.5 million settlement — see if you are eligible

You can now claim up to $7,500 from AT&T's $177 million settlement — key details revealed