Red Bull just settled a false advertising lawsuit, and now owes anyone who bought one of
its drinks between Jan. 1, 2002, and Oct. 3, 2014, either $10 cash or $15 worth of Red Bull
products. They have agreed to pay $13 million to American consumers in the settlement.
Red Bull was sued by drinkers who said that consumers were misled by the slogan “Red Bull
gives you wings.” The plaintiffs claimed that the company’s advertised benefits, like increased
performance and reaction speed, were false advertising, and not backed up with scientific evidence.
One of the plaintiffs said despite drinking the product since 2002, he saw no improvement in his
athletic performance.
According to the lawsuit:
Such deceptive conduct and practices mean that [Red Bull’s] advertising and marketing is not
just ‘puffery,’ but is instead deceptive and fraudulent and is therefore actionable.
Despite settling, Red Bull denied any wrongdoing in a statement:
Red Bull settled the lawsuit to avoid the cost and distraction of litigation. However, Red Bull
maintains that its marketing and labeling have always been truthful and accurate, and denies
any and all wrongdoing or liability.
It should probably be noted that if a certain number of people sign up and the $13 million is
reached, then the reimbursement will begin to be diluted so that every person can receive a
share. According to the filing, a hearing will be held on May 1, 2015 to decide whether the
settlement will be approved. If the court approves the settlement, payment will be distributed
150 days later (pending appeals).
Source: Buzzfeed