Customers who purchased Clif Bars or Clif Kid ZBars might be eligible to receive a cash payment following the protein bar company’s recent class-action lawsuit.
The company reached a $12 million settlement in the case Ralph Milan et al. v. Clif Bar & Co., which alleged that the nutritional information on the labels for Clif Bars and Clif Kid ZBars was misleading.
Anyone who purchased the snacks from March 31, 2019, and March 31, 2023, could receive a share of the settlement. For those who bought the protein bars in California and New York, their timeline is extended from April 19, 2014, to March 31, 2023.
Read on to learn more about the settlement and how much those affected could receive.
What did the class-action lawsuit allege?
The Ralph Milan et al. v. Clif Bar & Co. class-action lawsuit, which was filed in April 2018, claimed that the nutritional labels on Clif Bars and Clif Kid ZBars did not disclose the high amounts of added sugar in the snacks.
U.S. & World
Clif Bars and Clif Kid ZBars with the following phrases are mentioned in the lawsuit as examples of the misleading packaging, according to the settlement website:
Clif Bars
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.
- “Nutrition for Sustained Energy”
Clif Kid ZBars
- “No High Fructose Corn Syrup”
- “Nourishing Kids in Motion”
- “In raising our family, finding nutritious on-the-go snacks for our kids wasn’t easy. That’s why we created Clif Kid — wholesome, delicious snacks made with organic ingredients to help keep kids going, growing, and exploring.”
- “Blend of carbs, fiber, protein, and fat gives kids energy so they can keep Zipping and Zooming along.”
Although the protein bars were marketed as healthy, the suit said, as much as 37% of the calories in the snacks come from added sugar.
Clif Bar has denied that its products are unhealthy or that its labels are misleading, the company agreed to the settlement earlier this year. A representative for Clif Bar, or its parent company Mondelez International, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
How to file a claim
The settlement includes customers nationwide who bought the items. Payout is expected based on the number of bars purchased and does not require proof of purchase.
Payment tiers
- $5 for up to 30 bars
- $10 for 31 to 60 bars
- $15 for more than 50 bars
But, if consumers can provide proof with their filing, then they could receive $15 for the first 60 bars and an additional $0.25 for extra bars, with a maximum payout of $50.
To file a claim, visit the class-action’s website and click “Submit a Claim.”
There’s a maximum of one claim form per household.
The first page of the claim requires name and contact information. The customer then needs to provide details about their Clif Bar and Clif Kid ZBars purchases.
Others can opt to complete a PDF form, available here, to print and mail.
When is the deadline to file a claim?
The deadline to send a claim, either online or in the mail, is Nov. 25, 2024. Mailed documents must be postmarked on or before that date.
In addition to the $12 million settlement, Clif will update the packaging for the two products, the settlement said, and keep those changes “for a period of at least 24 months” and “so long as 10% or more of (a bar’s) calories come from added sugars.”
This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:
