If you live in the United States and purchased any A&W Root Beer or Cream Soda Beverages that contained the “Made with Aged Vanilla” Statement on their Labels Between February 7, 2016 and June 2, 2023, you may be entitled to a cash payment from the A&W Root Beer & Cream Soda class action settlement.
A&W Concentrate Company and Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. (“Defendants”) have reportedly agreed to a settlement of a class action lawsuit filed against them in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, styled as LaShawn Sharpe v. A&W Concentrate Co. and Keurig Dr Pepper Inc., Class Action Case No. Case 1:19-cv-00768-BMC, alleging, among other things, that certain A&W root beer and A&W cream soda beverages stated on their label that they were “Made With Aged Vanilla” which they claim was misleading to a reasonable consumer because the A&W root beer and A&W cream soda beverages contained ethyl vanillin, which is an artificial vanilla flavoring.
The A&W root beer and A&W cream soda class action lawsuit asserted violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (“TDTPA”), Tex. Bus. & Com.Code §§ 17.46(5), (7), and (9) and (2) unjust enrichment.
A&W and Keurig Dr Pepper reportedly deny the Plaintiffs’ allegations and deny that they violated any law or caused any harm as alleged in the lawsuits.
Who Is Included As Settlement Class Members In The A&W Root Beer Cream Soda Class Action Settlement?
The A&W Root Beer Cream Soda class action settlement reportedly includes, unless otherwise excluded, the following settlement class:
All persons (not a commercial entity) who live in the United States and, between February 7, 2016, and June 2, 2023, purchased for personal use (not for purposes of resale) an A&W® brand Root Beer or Cream Soda Product that contained the statement “Made with Aged Vanilla” on its label.
Eligible products under the settlement include:
- A&W Root Beer – Regular
- A&W Root Beer – Diet
- A&W Root Beer – Zero Sugar
- A&W Root Beer – Ten
- A&W Cream Soda – Regular
- A&W Cream Soda – Diet
- A&W Cream Soda – Zero Sugar
What Settlement Benefits Does The A&W Root Beer Class Action Settlement Provide?
Under the A&W lawsuit settlement, A&W and Keurig Dr Pepper have reportedly agreed to pay up to $15,000,000 ($15 million) to pay all Valid Claims after the payment of Attorneys’ Fees and Costs, Administration Expenses and Class Representatives Service Awards.
How Much Money Will Class Members Receive Under the A&W Root Beer Cream Soda Class Action Settlement?
A&W Root Beer Cream Soda settlement class members who file valid claims can receive the following monetary relief (subject to a pro rata reduction if there are insufficient settlement funds remaining) under the settlement:
- Tier 1 – Claims without Proof of Purchase: Claimants will get $5.50 per Household;
- Tier 2 – Claims with and without Proof of Purchase: Claimants will get a guaranteed minimum of $5.50, and on top of that Claimants will get an additional $0.50 per Unit purchased for which a valid Proof of Purchase has been provided, up to a maximum of thirty-nine units supported by Proof of Purchase, for a combined total of $25.00 per Household.
- Tier 3 – All Claims with Proof of Purchase: Claimants will get a guaranteed minimum of $5.50 and 50 cents per units for which a proof of purchase is provided for every unit over eleven units purchased, up to fifty units for $25.00
An A&W Root Beer Cream Soda Settlement Class Member may only make a single Claim under either Tier 1, Tier 2, or Tier 3 per Household. Recovery is limited to one Claim per Household, regardless of how many persons reside at an address.
How Do A&W Root Beer & Cream Soda Settlement Class Members File a Claim To Get a Settlement Payment?
In order to receive a payment under the A&W Root Beer Cream Soda settlement, class members must file a claim by the claims deadline.
A&W Root Beer Cream Soda settlement class members may file a claim by submitting a Claim Form online or by printing out and mailing a paper claim form to the Claims Administrator. Class members may also contact the Settlement Administrator to request a Claim Form by telephone or email.
What Is The Deadline To File A Claim in The A&W Root Beer & Cream Soda Settlement?
A&W settlement claim forms must be signed under penalty of perjury and postmarked or submitted online no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on October 18, 2023.
When Will Claimants Get Paid Under the A&W Root Beer Cream Soda Settlement?
Settlement payments will not be made until after the proposed Settlement is finally approved by the Court, and after any appeals are resolved (if any appeals are filed).
The Court scheduled a Final Approval Hearing on October 19, 2023 to determine whether to give final approval to the Settlement.
Where Can You Obtain More Information About The A&W Root Beer Cream Soda Class Action Settlement?
For more information about the A&W class action settlement, write to Sharpe v. A&W Concentrate Co. c/o Kroll Settlement Administration LLC, PO Box 225391, New York, NY 10150-5391, call (833) 747-6032, or visit the A&W class action settlement website at https://www.rootbeerandcreamsodasettlement.com/