A class-action lawsuit has been brought against Sugarmill Distillery claiming that it mislabeled and mismarketed its coronavirus hand sanitizer to be 99% effective against all germs. This Missouri distillery manufactures liquors like whiskey and vodka. During the onset of the pandemic, the company started manufacturing its hand sanitizer to meet the growing demand of people amidst the acute shortage across the country. Matt Heckemeyer, the head of Sugarmill Distillery added that Sugarmill Distillery started manufacturing hand sanitizers when their customers started calling and asking what can be done to fill the gaps between demand and supply. They did their best to manage the crisis by getting the product ready quickly.
The distillery started selling Hex hand sanitizer at local stores to cater to the growing demand. While these products were sold with good intentions, the legal actions brought forward by the plaintiffs argue that the company’s products were falsely advertised. While the product packaging claimed that the hand sanitizer was 99% effective in killing all germs, the class action lawsuit contends that these statements falsely inflated the efficacy rating of the hand sanitizer products.
The hand sanitizer of Sugarmill Distillery had a different consistency compared to the typical gel sanitizers. Heckemeyer noted that the sanitizer stills do its job brilliantly although the plaintiffs in the case disagree. Though Sugarmill Distillery has not admitted any wrongdoing, they have agreed to a class action settlement for resolving the allegations brought against them. As per the settlement agreement, the deal will allow both parties to resolve the plaintiff’s claims while avoiding the cost of litigation and the associated troubles.
The class counsel might ask the court to award them up to $1000.00 in incentives to the Plaintiff and up to $22500 in attorney’s fees. The last date for objecting to or excluding oneself from this class action settlement is 20th June 2022.
Eligibility for Making Claim: Class member constitutes consumers in Missouri or Illinois who bought Sugarmill hand sanitizers labeled as “HEX hand sanitizer” between 15th May 2017 and 1st April 2022.
Proof Of Purchase: The size of the sanitizer and the store you bought it from have to be mentioned on the claim form.
Potential Claim Amount: Class members are eligible to collect cash payments depending on the products purchased by them. They can collect $3 for every 12.6-ounce container purchased. Class members can claim higher payments for larger containers. One-gallon container purchase is reimbursed at $20 and a five-gallon container purchase is reimbursed at $70.
Settlement Website: HandSanitizerSettlement.com
Claim Form: Claim Form – Hadley et al. v Sugarmill Distilling (handsanitizersettlement.com)
Deadline For Submitting Claim: 07/12/2022
Final Hearing Date: 07/19/2022