Canadians who bought or drank a Red Bull between Jan. 1, 2007, and July 23, 2019, could be entitled to up to $10 from the company, thanks to a class-action lawsuit.
The energy drink company is accused of having violated Quebec’s Consumer Protection Act, according to LPC Avocats, the law firm in charge of the lawsuit.
Red Bull is responsible for “failing to inform consumers of the inherent dangers concerning the ingestion of its caffeinated energy drinks.”
The company also made false statements about the usefulness of Red Bull in their advertising and product labels, by claiming the product increases concentration and alertness.
HuffPost Canada reached out to Red Bull and was told that the company settled the lawsuit to “avoid the distraction of litigation in Canada. Red Bull’s marketing has always been witty, truthful and accurate.”
People can register to submit a claim via the Energy Drink Settlement Program, which will be open until 5 p.m. on Oct. 14. People who register will be notified when the claims process opens so that they can get their cut of the $850,000 the company has agreed to pay.
Applicants won’t need to have proof of purchase, but they will need to provide an approximate date and location for where Red Bull was obtained.
In accordance with the agreement, Red Bull Canada also needs to add a link to a Health Canada warning about mixing energy drinks and alcohol to its website.
A similar settlement happened five years ago for Red Bull drinkers in the U.S. The company agreed to dole out $13 million to customers in the form of either $10 in cash or a voucher for two Red Bull products valued at a maximum of $15. The company denied any wrongdoing or liability in both cases.
The court hearing to approve the Canadian settlement will take place on Dec. 17.