Class Action Lawsuit Argues Keurig Misrepresents that Single-Serve Coffee Pods Are Recyclable [UPDATE]
Last Updated on December 20, 2022
Smith v. Keurig Green Mountain, Inc.
Filed: November 2, 2018 ◆§ 4:18-cv-06690-HSG
A class action lawsuit alleges Keurig Green Mountain's supposedly recyclable single-serve coffee pods are not, in fact, recyclable.
Case Updates
December 20, 2022 – Keurig K-Cup Settlement Deadline Extended for Some
An update on the official Keurig “recyclable” K-Cup settlement website states that consumers who received a notice about the deal on December 16, 2022 have until January 30, 2023 to submit a claim form.
The deadline to file a claim for most consumers covered by the settlement is January 9, 2023. Those who were notified about the settlement on December 16, however, now have until January 30 of next year by which to submit a claim online or by mail.
If you received direct notice about the settlement, be sure to have your class member ID ready when you file a claim. If you did not receive direct notice, you can still file a claim on this page.
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August 12, 2022 – Keurig K-Cup Recycling Settlement Website Is Live
The official settlement website for the case detailed on this page is now live and can be found at KCupRecyclingSettlement.com.
To file a claim online, click here.
The deadline for filing a claim is January 9, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time.
A final approval hearing has been scheduled for December 8, 2022.
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March 2, 2022 - $10 Million Settlement Reached
A $10 million deal has been reached to settle the lawsuit detailed on this page.
According to a February 24 motion, the proposed settlement looks to compensate anyone who purchased Keurig’s single-serve coffee pods labeled as recyclable for personal, family or household purposes in the U.S. anytime since June 8, 2016.
Those covered by the settlement, known as class members, will be able to claim $0.35 per 10 pods with proof of purchase up to a maximum of $36.00 per household (and a minimum of $6.00). Anyone without proof of purchase can claim up to $5.00.
The plaintiffs’ counsel notes that because most people purchase Keurig pods in multi-pod packages, settlement payments “may be substantial” for those who kept their receipts.
Keurig has also agreed as part of the settlement to stop advertising its pods as recyclable and will be barred from using the term “recycling” or related representations on its product packaging and website unless the statement is accompanied by the disclosure “Check Locally – Not Recycled in Many Communities.” The disclosure will be in a “substantially larger font size” than the current disclaimer, the motion noted.
If the settlement receives the judge’s preliminary approval, an official website will be set up where class members can file claims.
Don’t miss out on settlement news like this. Sign up for ClassAction.org’s free weekly newsletter here.
Keurig Green Mountain’s single-serve coffee pods are at the center of a proposed class action lawsuit recently removed from superior to federal court in California. The plaintiff alleges that while Keurig Green Mountain represents to environmentally conscious consumers that its single-serve coffee pods, including those sold under the popular K-Cup brand, are recyclable, the opposite is true.
“Seeking to take advantage of consumers’ concerns,” the lawsuit reads, “defendant Keurig Green Mountain, Inc. markets and sells plastic single serve coffee pods as recyclable, when the pods cannot in fact be recycled.”
According to the case, even if a consumer were to toss the defendant’s single-serve pods into a recycling bin, most municipal recycling facilities are not properly equipped to capture such small materials and segregate them from larger recyclables. Moreover, the suit says, even facilities that are capable of separating Keurig’s pods from general recyclables still fall short in ensuring the products stay out of the general waste stream. As the complaint tells it, Keurig’s purportedly recyclable single-serve pods usually end up in landfills.
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