Have you bought a Clif Bar in the last 10 years? You could be paid from their $12 million settlement

Rising awareness about personal health has made people pay more attention to the ingredients and nutritional value of popular treats. A couple of decades back, McDonald's had been dragged to court for allegedly causing obesity. Now the company that makes Clif Bars was hit with a class action lawsuit alleging that the packaging of its products contained "misleading" nutritional information. Earlier this year, the company settled the case for $12 million, which means customers who purchased Clif Bars or Clif Kid ZBars may be eligible to get a portion of the settlement money.

Bitterness Caused by Too Much Sugar

The Ralph Milan et al. v. Clif Bar & Co. class-action lawsuit was filed back in April 2018 and claimed that the nutritional labels on Clif Bars and Clif Kid ZBars misled customers by not disclosing the high amounts of added sugar in the bars. While the popular protein bars were marketed as healthy, the suit stated that about 37% of the calories in the snacks were derived directly from added sugar.

The lawsuit mentioned the label “Nutrition for Sustained Energy” on Clif Bars as misleading. For Clif Kid ZBars several phrases like  “No High Fructose Corn Syrup”, “Nourishing Kids in Motion”, and more were mentioned as misleading. While Clif Bar denied any wrongdoing and refused to admit that its products are unhealthy or that its labels are misleading, the company agreed to the $12 million settlement earlier this year. 

In addition to the multimillion-dollar settlement, the company agreed to update the packaging for the two products as well. As per the agreement, Clif Bars will keep the updated packaging for at least 24 months.

Who is Eligible for the Settlement Cash?

Customers who purchased the products between March 31, 2019, and March 31, 2023, are eligible to get a share of the settlement. For those who bought the bars in California and New York, the timeline is extended from April 19, 2014, to March 31, 2023. Eligible customers can get a cash reimbursement depending on the number of bars they buy. Customers can get $5 for up to 30 bars bought, $10 for between 31 and 59 bars, and $15 for over 60 bars. The reimbursement for up to 60 bars will be given with or without the proof of purchase, according to The Sun.

For any additional bars beyond 60, class members can get 25 cents per bar given they can provide the proof of purchase. However, the maximum payout is capped at $50.

Here's How to File a Claim

To file a claim the customers need to visit the class-action’s website and click on the “Submit a Claim," button. As per the website, a maximum of one claim per household is permitted. Customers need to provide basic information including name, contact, and details about their Clif Bar and Clif Kid ZBars purchases. 

The deadline to complete and file a claim, either online or via mail, is November 25. Meanwhile, the final approval hearing for the settlement is set to take place on November 14.