Ice cream lovers, listen up! Breyers Ice Cream is shelling out nearly $9 million as part of a class action settlement, and if you’ve been indulging in their Natural Vanilla flavor, you could be in for a small cash payout.
The settlement comes after a lawsuit was filed against Conopco Inc. and Unilever United States Inc., the companies behind Breyers, over claims that their Natural Vanilla ice cream falsely advertised its vanilla flavoring.
According to the lawsuit, consumers were led to believe that the ice cream’s vanilla flavor came solely from real vanilla beans. Instead, plaintiffs alleged that the product contained vanilla flavoring derived from other sources, not just the vanilla plant.
While the companies deny any wrongdoing and the court hasn’t ruled in favor of either side, Breyers has agreed to settle the matter by creating an $8.85 million fund to compensate customers.
Here’s what that means for you: if you bought Breyers Natural Vanilla ice cream between April 21, 2016, and August 14, 2024, you could be eligible to receive $1 per carton. The catch? You’ll need proof of purchase, like a receipt, to make an unlimited number of claims.
But don’t worry if you’ve tossed your receipts—customers without proof can still file up to eight claims, meaning you could pocket up to $8 without needing any paperwork.
The court has also mandated that Breyers reformulate its Natural Vanilla ice cream within the next year to ensure it’s truly vanilla-based, so future cartons won’t be facing these same issues.
While the payout isn’t huge, this class action settlement is a win for consumers who expect transparency in their food labeling.So, whether you’re a regular Breyers customer or just picked up a few cartons over the years, don’t miss out on your chance to cash in on this vanilla-flavored settlement!
