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There’s a lot of talk about a Simply Orange Juice class action settlement — but don’t pour out your OJ just yet. Simply Orange Juice isn’t being sued, but a lot of people (somewhat understandably) think that it is. Coca-Cola and its subsidiary The Simply Orange Juice Company are being sued over one of their specific juices, Simply Tropical.
The class action suit is underway, but there hasn’t been a judgment just yet. But if you’re on the hunt for any class action settlements that could pay you money in the near future, there are plenty on our list.
Find out about the class action lawsuit against the juice brand, what it means and how it may affect you.
The Simply Orange class action claims there are toxic chemicals in one of the brand’s juices.
The class action lawsuit, filed in New York, claims that despite Simply Tropical’s branding and packaging claiming that its contents are all natural, the juice actually “contains per- and polyfluoralkyl substances (‘PFAS’), a category of synthetic chemicals that are, by definition, not natural.” The lawsuit didn’t specify which specific PFAS were present in Simply Tropical, nor did the suit specify how much PFAS were in the product — but the suit does allege that it contains “hundreds of times” over the U.S. federal limit.
PFAS are known commonly as “forever chemicals” for their longevity — they don’t break down and have been linked to increased risks of several cancers (including kidney cancer, thyroid cancer, testicular cancer and prostate cancer), as well as autoimmune disorders, fetal complications, liver disease, increased cholesterol, decreased fertility, increased blood pressure, reduced vaccine response, hormonal imbalances, developmental delays in children and other health issues, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Research released by the EPA in August 2022 designates two of the most commonly used PFAS, Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA).
The class action lawsuit takes issue with The Simply Orange Company’s marketing language, too.
The Simply Orange Juice Company markets their products with words like “all natural ingredients,” “simply natural,” and “nothing to hide,” but the lawsuit says those claims are misleading and harmful because it leads customers to “believe that the product is free from synthetic” ingredients. The lawsuit accuses The Simply Orange Company of violating several laws, fraud, breach of express warranty, and unjust enrichment.
Coca-Cola and The Simply Orange Company haven’t commented on the class action lawsuit or its allegations.
Only Simply Tropical is named in the lawsuit; no other Simply Orange brand juices are part of it.
If you’ve been drinking other Simply Orange brand juices, you likely don’t have to worry about PFAS in them, as only Simply Tropical is named in the class action lawsuit. So don’t worry about the other Simply brands, such as Simply Orange, Simply Lemonade, Simply Light, Simply Mixology, Simply Smoothies
On the Simply website, Simply Tropical has mango and pineapple on the label, and is described as an “all-natural” fruit juice drink “made simply, with natural flavors for a delicious taste.”
Hang on to your Simply Tropical proofs of purchase; you’ll probably need them later.
As of now, there is no action to be taken, as the class action is new and no ruling nor settlements have yet been reached. But once the lawsuit concludes, it’s probably a good idea to keep record of any purchases of Simply Tropical juice you may have
