Breyers Ice Cream Class Action Lawsuit

Did you know that recently the famous ice cream brand in the U.S., Breyers, got itself into some legal trouble over its “Natural Vanilla” flavor? There was a case filed that claimed Breyers used camouflage marketing using which they made a false implication that some of the taste of vanilla comes from real vanilla beans, you know? Though, what really happened was that other sources that do not contain vanilla were also used in some proportion. So, as per the brand itself, misleading information was what led customers to file a lawsuit against the company, in which they said they were doubtful about the product’s authenticity. So, let’s closely see what this Breyers Ice Cream Class Action Lawsuit is all about and what is really going on.

So, What’s Really The Problem with Breyers’ “Natural Vanilla” Ice Cream?

Okay, so the issue with the whole Breyers “Natural Vanilla” ice cream lawsuit was basically their marketing. As per the claims they labeled the product in a way that made it seem like the only flavor came from the vanilla plant itself, but the lawsuit claimed the opposite. No, the flavor came from other things. Because of this, many people believed they were buying pure vanilla, whereas it was not! So, the lawsuit wanted to make things right and show how the label was misleading, you know? And to be honest, this kinda has become a much bigger issue because, in the past, there have been many big companies and brands that used fake advertising and didn’t deliver what they promised.

Timeline of the Lawsuit

If you aren’t keeping up with this one yet, well, the lawsuit started for people who bought Breyers Natural Vanilla ice cream between April 21, 2016, and August 14, 2024. The “Natural Vanilla” label was surely misleading during this time, and customers claimed so. But then this year, in 2024, the matter was settled as the parent company of Breyers, Unilever, decided to resolve it. Even though Breyers did not accept any wrongdoing, they agreed to pay to settle the case at almost $9 million. After the case started, there were settlements in September 2024, and the final court actions were expected by the end of the year.

Settlement Information

If you are here just for the financial numbers, well yes, the settlement with Breyers is for the sum of $8.85 million. This amount will be given to customers who bought Breyers Natural Vanilla ice cream from 2016 to 2024. But keep in mind that you must provide proof of purchase, like receipts, in order to get your money back. If you don’t have any proof, you are still allowed to claim $1 per product but only for up to 8 products, which is thus the $8 maximum. The last date for making a claim is 19th February 2025.

A special website is available to make claims and get more information, and just so you know, if you don’t want to be a part of the settlement, you might also consider filing your own lawsuit, but in this case, you must opt out of the settlement before 31st October 2024.