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This settlement is closed!
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Purchasers of Costco coconut oil can qualify for reimbursement under terms of a recent $775,000 class action settlement.
This Costco class action lawsuit began in March 2016, when plaintiffs James Boswell and Malia Levin challenged representations on Costco coconut oil that present the product as “healthy.” The product at issue comes in a 42.3-ounce jar and is sold under the Kirkland label, Costco’s house brand, often sold in two-jar packs.
The plaintiffs accuse Costco of exploiting consumer interest in foods that are perceived as being “healthy.” Coconut oil has a substantial amount of saturated fat, which increases the chance of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and other dangerous diseases, the plaintiffs say. That risk makes Costco coconut oil inherently unhealthy and a less healthy alternative to other fats and oils.
After more than a year of discovery, preliminary motions and mediation sessions, the parties agreed to this class action settlement in May 2017. The settlement requires Costco to put up a $775,000 settlement fund to cover compensation for Class Members. This fund will also cover the plaintiffs’ service awards, court costs, class counsel’s attorneys’ fees, and the costs of administering the settlement.
Costco has also agreed to remove the terms “healthy” and “healthful” from the label of Costco coconut oil and to refrain from any future use of those terms or any variation of the term “healthy.”
Although Costco has agreed to the settlement, it maintains that it has done nothing wrong. The settlement agreement does not require Costco to make any admissions, and the court has not issued any decision on liability.
Class Members who want to be excluded from the settlement must do so in writing by Oct. 30, 2017. Those who want to object to the settlement’s terms must file their objections by Nov. 13, 2017.
Who’s Eligible
Class Members include all persons in the U.S. who bought Kirkland Signature Organic Virgin Coconut Oil in 42.3-ounce jars for personal or household use since March 1, 2014.
Potential Award
Once the settlement fund has been used to pay other expenses, the remaining funds will be distributed among Class Members who submit valid and timely claims. Each qualifying Class Member will receive payment for each Costco coconut oil product purchased, for up to five units per Class Member.
Proof of Purchase
The settlement administrator requires different documentation depending on where the Class Member bought their Costco coconut oil:
- Class Members who purchased their Costco coconut oil from Costco and were Costco members at the time of purchase must provide their Costco membership number. Their purchase will be verified using Costco’s own records.
- Class Members who purchased Costco coconut oil from a source other than Costco must provide documentation of the purchase that shows the price paid as well as the date and location of the purchase.
Claim Form
Claim Form Deadline
10/30/2017
Case Name
Boswell, et al. v. Costco Wholesale Corp., et al., Case No. 8:16-cv-00278, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
Final Hearing
12/4/2017
UPDATE: The Costco Coconut Oil Mislabeling Class Action Settlement was granted final approval on December 13, 2017. Let Top Class Actions know when you receive a check in the comments section below or on our Facebook page.
Settlement Website
www.KirklandCoconutOilSettlement.com
Claims Administrator
Kirkland Signature Coconut Oil Settlement
c/o Dahl Administration
P.O. Box 3614
Minneapolis, MN 55403-0614
1-866-875-7574
info@KirklandCoconutOilSettlement.com
Class Counsel
Jack Fitzgerald
THE LAW OFFICE OF JACK FITZGERALD PC
Paul K. Joseph
THE LAW OFFICE OF PAUL K. JOSEPH PC
Defense Counsel
Frank J. Broccolo
LAW OFFICE OF FRANK J. BROCCOLO
Anthony B. Gordon
GORDON AND GORDON, A PROFESSIONAL LAW CORPORATION
Baxter Banowsky
BANOWSKY & LEVINE PC
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51 thoughts onCostco Coconut Oil Mislabeling Class Action Settlement
What complete nonsense this is. I’ve bought coconut oil for years and have a nutritional science degree. It’s a good fat and is generally considered healthy. It’s certainly less harmful than most of the “food” that I see in shopping carts. I have opted out and will send a letter of objection. If you don’t have the sense to know a marketing claim from reality, you probably should not go shopping by yourself. There is no harm. I’m sorry they’re settling. This suit is just stealing money from Costco members.
Amen!
yep I heard this news that they were saying its not healthy. It is.. hell I take capsules every day for my health! I give it to my dogs one of which is almost 16! ( next month) If someone would do some actual research into why it good for you they would see this is all a crock and a way for people like this suit get more money…
I have been eating a ketogenic diet for almost a year now. My Cholesterol was higher then it should be as was my LDL. My healthy HDL was never able to get past 42 to 45. Well my HDL is now 65 and ranges from 55 to 69. This from eating the “bad” saturated coconut oils and REAL better. My doctor was so impressed that he thought I was taking a statin drug he had prescribed. LOL, um NO, it was the ketogenic diet Thats it.
Totally agree Morgan, but by opting out are we leaving the bulk of the settlement amount to these unscrupulous people filing claims and therefore providing the incentive for them to continue doing this?
I have the same question. I don’t want to opt out if it just fattens the wallet of others. Where can we file our objections? The only info I see is “Those who want to object to the settlement’s terms must file their objections by Nov. 13, 2017.”
We recommend reviewing the settlement website in detail. The FAQs provide information on how to object to the settlement: https://www.kirklandcoconutoilsettlement.com/FrequentlyAskedQuestions#q7.
What a load people really do sue for anything these days x.x
Agree, coconut oil, when organic, unrefined is the healthiest thing to use for all of the above mentioned reasons and more. WE LOVE COSTCO QUALITY COCONUT OIL and the price. So sorry to see Costco cave on this.
They could have polled their members and asked us to write a petition of awareness and lobbied against this class action.
What a waste of money.
I’m not going to claim it either. I could use the extra $100.00 to stock up on more coconut oil, but it’s dirty money, cuz it’s not true.
Coconut oil is soooo healthy.
Wake up Amerikka… or maybe not.
Once intelligence wins out over ignorance, can drive the price up. So, maybe better to keep coconut oil our little secret.
This is the most ridiculous lawsuit I have ever heard of. Coconut oil IS VERY HEALTHY!!! And, Costco sells the best one at half the price of everyone else. The proof that it is healthy is that the people living on remote tropical islands consume large amounts of coconut and coconut oil, and they are some of the healthiest people on the planet. Read the book, THE COCONUT OIL MIRACLE by Bruce Fife.
We’ve been buying the Coconut Oil at Costco and using it faithfully. It has helped our health and all our numbers are excellent when going to the doctor and we are in our 80s. We believe it is one of the healthiest oils out there along with olive oil. We feel badly about this false claim
Lorette and Frank
OPT out of this folks. Rediculous
I qualify to be part of this lawsuit. But I refuse to take the money! Keep it! Coconut Oil especially the Kirkland brand has helped me and my chronic illness when ton of doctors could not. antibiotics ould not or antifungals they prescribed. Coconut Oil is antifungal and also contains Lauric Acid. It isextremely healthy! Do not believe what is being told here. I believe its propaganda because the natural health craze is popular and people are waking up to Natural alternatives for medicine! I also swish coonut oil in mouth for twenty mins it heals your gums, heals candida in gut, fungal infections and also whitens teeth. It heals scalp infections and fungal infections on your skin.
coconut oil contains only medium chain saturated fat (healthy, safe). the long chain saturated fat found in other oils could compel health concerns. coconut oil contains lauric acid and a cornucopia of super-healthy ingredients; especially the kirkland brand, i.e.: certified organic, derived from whole/healthy fruit ripened to perfection in the most pristine locations, minimally processed to preserve the highest level of nutritional integrity—yes, yes, yes, i too love this oil in me and on me—for it it is the healthiest of them all. this lawsuit is part of a larger corporate propaganda initiative designe to misguide and contort public views about this ancient, medicinal product of mother nature.
I never received a notice and I bought it at costco.
The claim deadline is 10/30/17. You can submit your claim using your Costco ID number here: https://www.kirklandcoconutoilsettlement.com/PreClaimFilingForm
Can’t say I’m not surprised they caved in. Was hoping they’d get a grip but there’s too much at stake apparently. *eye roll* best not to rock the boat, eh?