Settlement Reached in Minute Maid Juice Labeling Class Action

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The plaintiff in a class action lawsuit accusing The Coca-Cola Company of falsely advertising the contents of its Minute Maid pomegranate blueberry juice has asked a California federal judge to preliminarily approve a proposed settlement.

“The proposed settlement … will bring to an end a case that has been pending for over six years, and provides significant relief to Settlement Class Members through one hundred percent cash refunds, fully transferable vouchers for free Coca-Cola products, and assurance from The Coca-Cola Company that it has stopped selling Minute Maid Enhanced Pomegranate Blueberry Flavored Blend … and has no plans to reintroduce it into the market,” the motion seeking preliminary approval of the Minute Maid class action settlement says.

Plaintiff Niloofar Saeidian filed the false advertising class action lawsuit against Coca-Cola in August 2009, alleging that the labeling, packaging, advertising and marketing for the Minute Maid pomegranate blueberry juice were false and misleading. She claims Coca-Cola attempted to capitalize on health-conscious consumers’ desire for the nutritional benefits provided by pomegranate and blueberry juices.

“In truth, the product contained very little pomegranate or blueberry juice and was actually composed of mostly cheap filler juices, such as apple and grape juices,” the false advertising settlement documents state. Saeidian alleged that she and other Class Members overpaid for the product because they did not receive the nutritional benefits they desired when purchasing the Minute Maid juice.

A similar Minute Maid class action lawsuit was filed in June 2014, and Coca-Cola requested that it be consolidated with Saeidian’s case. However, in Feb. 2015, the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation denied the motion.

Coca-Cola has vigorously fought the litigation but agreed to settle the false advertising class action lawsuit to avoid the delay and risk associated with ongoing litigation.

Under the terms of the proposed Minute Maid class action settlement, Class Members who provide proof of purchase such as a sales receipt or other relevant documentation will be entitled to a full refund.

Class Members without proof of purchase are also entitled to benefits. Claimants who do not provide proof of purchase will receive vouchers for a free product sold under the Minute Maid, Smartwater, Vitaminwater, Vitaminwater Zero, Simply and Honest Tea brands. According to the class action settlement documents, a maximum of 200,000 vouchers will be issued to Class Members who file valid claims.

Coca-Cola has also agreed to donate $300,000 worth of goods to Feeding America, a charitable organization.

More information about the Coca-Cola Minute Maid juice class action settlement was not immediately available. Keep checking TopClassActions.com or sign up for our free newsletter for the latest updates. You can also mark this article as a “Favorite” using your free Top Class Actions account to receive notifications when this article is updated.

Saeidian is represented by Zev B. Zysman of WeissLaw LLP and Jordan L. Lurie and Robert K. Friedl of Capstone Law APC.

The Minute Maid Pomegranate Blueberry Juice Class Action Lawsuit is Niloofar Saeidian v. The Coca-Cola Co., Case No. 2:09-cv-06309, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.