Unilever to pay $2M settlement in Suave deodorant benzene class action

Suave deodorant settlement overview: 

• Who: Unilever United States agreed to a $2 million class action settlement benefiting consumers who purchased Suave antiperspirant deodorant products. 
• Why: The class action settlement resolves claims Unilever sold Suave antiperspirant deodorant products containing high levels of the cancer-causing chemical benzene. 
• Where: The class action lawsuit was filed in Illinois federal court.

Unilever United States agreed to pay $2 million to end claims the company sold Suave-branded antiperspirant deodorant products containing high levels of benzene, a cancer-causing chemical. 

The settlement benefits a nationwide class of consumers who purchased Suave 24-Hour Protection Powder Aerosol Antiperspirant or Suave 24-Hour Protection Fresh Aerosol Antiperspirant for personal use and not for resale between Jan. 1, 2018, and March 7, 2024.

Consumers who submit claims with proof of purchase can receive a refund in the amount of the purchase price, while those without proof of purchase can obtain compensation in the amount of the average retail price of $3.29 for up to three products. 

“This is as good a result as the settlement class could have hoped for at trial but comes much sooner and avoids the significant risks that class certification could be denied and/or that the action would be dismissed on summary judgment,” lead plaintiff Yvonne Barnes told the court, according to Law360. 

Unilever will not be able to recoup any of the $2 million settlement fund, and payments will increase or decrease on a pro rata basis, as necessary, “such that the total amount paid to all settlement class members equals the available settlement funds,” according to the settlement.

Unilever did not comply with FDA good manufacturing practices, class action claimed 

In a class action lawsuit filed Nov. 18, 2021, consumers argued Unilever failed to comply with good manufacturing practices the U.S. Food and Drug Administration established. The suit claimed Unilever also sold adulterated products in violation of federal law and the Illinois Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. 

Unilever voluntarily recalled two of its Suave 24-Hour Protection Aerosol Antiperspirant products in March 2022 after an internal review found some of them contained slightly elevated levels of benzene. 

Will you file a claim to join the Suave deodorant class action settlement? Let us know in the comments.

The Suave deodorant settlement is In re: Barnes, et al. v. Unilever United States Inc., Case No. 1:21-cv-06191, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

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