Bigelow Tea $6.5M “Manufactured in the USA” Settlement — Up to $10 Without a Receipt (Claims Not Open Yet)

False Advertising · Claim Form Not Yet Open

Current Status

The claim form is not open yet. Judge Stephen V. Wilson of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California granted preliminary approval on October 5, 2026 and ordered notice to begin by October 27, 2026; claims are due February 8, 2027, postmarked or submitted electronically. The final approval hearing is May 17, 2027 at 1:30 p.m., and class counsel estimate payments in mid-2027 if the settlement is approved.

What Changed Recently?

Judge Stephen V. Wilson granted preliminary approval on October 5, 2026 in Banks, et al. v. R.C. Bigelow, Inc., No. 2:20-cv-06208, a case filed in 2020 that went to trial. On April 8, 2025, a jury found that Bigelow violated California’s Consumers Legal Remedies Act, breached an express warranty and made a false representation by labeling the teas “Manufactured in the USA 100% American Family Owned,” and awarded $2,360,744 to the plaintiffs and the class. The court entered judgment on May 29, 2025.

Bigelow appealed to the Ninth Circuit in September 2025. After the parties accepted a mediator’s proposal on June 9, 2026, the Ninth Circuit dismissed the appeal on July 22, 2026 without prejudice to reinstatement if the settlement is not approved. Bigelow continues to deny wrongdoing, and the court’s order says the settlement is not a finding or admission of liability by Bigelow.

Who Qualifies?

The class is all natural persons who bought at least one 18- or 20-count box of the following Bigelow teas, labeled “Manufactured in the USA 100% American Family Owned,” at a retail store in California from October 17, 2017 to July 31, 2023: Earl Grey Black Tea, Green Tea, Constant Comment Black Tea, Green Lemon Tea, Vanilla Chai Black Tea, English Tea Time Black Tea, Spiced Chai Black Tea, French Vanilla Black Tea and Vanilla Caramel Black Tea.

Purchases online or outside California are not covered. Bigelow, its distributors and retailers, the court and its staff, the mediator, counsel of record and their immediate families are excluded, as are people who opted out.

How Much Can You Get?

Each valid claim is worth $0.50 for every box bought. A claim without proof of purchase, made by a sworn statement, is capped at $10, or 20 boxes. A claim with proof of purchase, such as a receipt or paid invoice showing the place, date and quantity, is capped at $20, or 40 boxes. Claims from the same mailing address are paid together up to one household cap.

Bigelow will pay $6,500,000 in total, and none of it goes back to the company. At least $2,548,187, the jury’s award plus two years of post-judgment interest, is set aside for class payments. If claims exceed that amount, payments are reduced pro rata; if claims fall short, payments increase pro rata up to $20 without proof or $40 with proof. Money left unclaimed goes to Feeding America. The rest of the $6.5 million covers attorneys’ fees of $2,746,451 and expenses of $653,756, subject to court approval, service awards of $25,000 for each of the two class representatives, and $501,605.90 in notice and administration costs. Class counsel are The Wand Law Firm, P.C. and Schneider Wallace Cottrell Kim LLP.

What Proof or Notice ID Is Required?

The claim form is not open yet, so OCA has not been able to check whether the online form will require a notice ID. Under the proposed claim form filed with the court, claimants without a receipt sign a statement under penalty of perjury, and the form includes a Unique ID field described as applying only to people who received a notice by mail or email. Claims for up to $20 require proof of purchase. Payments can be made by check, Zelle, PayPal or Venmo.

What Is the Deadline?

Claims are due February 8, 2027, postmarked or submitted electronically. Requests for exclusion and objections are due January 7, 2027. Objections are filed with the court, not sent to the administrator.