Kirk’s Natural South of France products false advertising $650K class action settlement

UPDATE:

• This class action settlement is paying out up to $7.59.
• Congratulations to everyone who filed a claim and got paid!

Kirk’s Natural agreed to a $650,000 class action lawsuit settlement to resolve claims its South of France soaps, lotions and other products are actually made in Kentucky. No proof of purchase is needed for consumers to benefit from the settlement.

The settlement benefits class members who purchased certain South of France products between Sept. 3, 2015, and Aug. 12, 2022. Products included in the settlement are various scents of 6-ounce bar soap, 8-ounce hand wash, 8-ounce foaming hand wash, 1.5-ounce trial- and travel-size bar soap and 8-ounce hydrating hand and body cream. A full list of eligible South of France products is available on the settlement website.

South of France is a natural body care brand that sells soaps and lotions. According to the South of France website, the company’s original soap formula was developed by a French immigrant and manufactured in France.

A class action lawsuit from customers of the brand says South of France soaps are now manufactured in Kentucky. Despite this fact, South of France products are allegedly marketed with misleading representations such as French text translations, images of the French coastline and other French notations. 

According to the false advertising class action lawsuit, reasonable customers would believe the products are made in France after seeing these representations. South of France allegedly knows this and chooses to mislead customers in order to charge a higher price for the soaps and body products.

“Defendant knows that consumers are willing to pay more for French beauty care products due to their perception that they are of better quality, and believing they are paying costs associated with importing French products to the United States,” the South of France products class action lawsuit contends.

Plaintiffs say they wouldn’t have paid as much for the products if the product packaging had disclosed that the soaps were manufactured in the United States.

Kirk’s Natural hasn’t admitted any wrongdoing but agreed to pay $650,000 to resolve these allegations.

Under the terms of the South of France products settlement, class members can receive a cash payment based on the number of eligible products they purchased.

No proof of purchase is required for some settlement claims.

Class members can receive up to $2 per product. With proof of purchase, class members can claim up to 40 products, for a maximum payment of $80. With no proof of purchase, settlement class members can claim up to 10 products, for a maximum payment of $20.

The deadline for exclusion and objection is Jan. 6, 2023. 

The final approval hearing for the South of France products settlement is scheduled for Jan. 30, 2023.

In order to receive a settlement payment, class members must submit a valid claim form by May 1, 2023.

Who’s Eligible

The settlement benefits class members who purchased certain South of France products between Sept. 3, 2015, and Aug. 12, 2022. Products included in the settlement are various scents of 6-ounce bar soap, 8-ounce hand wash, 8-ounce foaming hand wash, 1.5-ounce trial- and travel-size bar soap and 8-ounce hydrating hand and body cream. A full list of eligible South of France products is available on the settlement website.

Potential Award

$80 with proof of purchase
$20 without proof of purchase

Proof of Purchase

Proof of purchase not required but could potentially lead to a higher payout 

Claim Form

NOTE: If you do not qualify for this settlement do NOT file a claim.

Remember: you are submitting your claim under penalty of perjury. You are also harming other eligible Class Members by submitting a fraudulent claim. If you’re unsure if you qualify, please read the FAQ section of the Settlement Administrator’s website to ensure you meet all standards (Top Class Actions is not a Settlement Administrator). If you don’t qualify for this settlement, check out our database of other open class action settlements you may be eligible for.

Claim Form Deadline

05/01/2023

Case Name

Final Hearing

01/30/2023

Settlement Website

SouthOfFranceSettlement.com

Claims Administrator

South of France Products Settlement
c/o Settlement Administrator
1650 Arch Street, Suite 2210
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Info@SouthofFranceSettlement.com
888-891-1151 

Class Counsel

Michael R. Reese
REESE LLP

Defense Counsel

Stacy A. Cole
GRAYDON HEAD & RITCHEY LLP