Bought Dole Fruit Bowls recently? You may be eligible for settlement cash
If you purchased a Dole fruit cup recently, you may be eligible for part of a settlement the company has reached, even if you don’t have a receipt to prove your purchase.
A lawsuit was filed against Dole Packaged Foods in Illinois, accusing the company of falsely advertising that many of its Dole Fruit Bowls were made with “100% juice.” Instead, plaintiffs said the bowls contained “trace amounts of ascorbic acid and/or citric acid or other ingredients.”
Dole has denied wrongdoing, saying the statement “in 100% juice” is about how the fruit is packaged and does not cover every ingredient in the product. Still, the company has agreed to a $4.3 million settlement in the case, according to a website dedicated to the lawsuit.
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To qualify for a settlement payment, you need to have purchased any of these Dole Fruit Bowls between January 12, 2017, and June 27, 2023: Cherry Mixed Fruit, Diced Apples, Diced Pears, Diced/Chunk Mango, Papaya Mango, Peach Mango, Mandarin Oranges, Mixed Fruit, Pineapple Tidbits/Slices/Chunks/Crushed, Mixed Fruit, Pineapple Paradise, Red Grapefruit Sunrise, Melon Medley, Tropical Fruit, or Diced/Sliced Peaches labeled “in 100% juice” or “in 100% fruit juice.”
While you do not need proof of purchase to take part in the settlement, you can only receive a cash refund of up to $9 per household, according to the settlement website. Those with a proof of purchase can receive up to $18 per household.
Settlement claims can be filed online or via mail through September 25, 2023.
The settlement still needs final approval from a judge, and a hearing has been scheduled for October 26, 2023. If it is approved, payments are expected to be delivered about 60 days later.
More details can be found here.
Dole isn’t the only company that has agreed to a settlement recently.
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Alix Martichoux and Russell Falcon contributed to this report.
