Clif Bar & Company paid $12 million to settle a class action alleging it marketed its bars as nutritious while a large share of their calories came from added sugar. The Clif Bar class action settlement received final approval on March 21, 2025, and payments to claimants went out starting May 20, 2025. The claims deadline was November 25, 2024, and the case is now closed.
What the Lawsuit Claimed
Three plaintiffs — Ralph Milan, Sarah Aquino, and Elizabeth Arnold — sued Clif Bar in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on April 19, 2018.1Food Navigator USA. Can Sugary Products Be Described as Nutritious? Clif Bar Agrees to Settle Lawsuit They argued that as much as 37% of the calories in some bars came from added sugar, which they said contradicted the wholesome image on the packaging.2NBC DFW. Clif Bar Class Action Settlement Compensation
The complaint targeted specific label language. On classic Clif Bars, the phrase at issue was “Nutrition for Sustained Energy.” On Clif Kid ZBars, the plaintiffs challenged “No High Fructose Corn Syrup,” “Nourishing Kids in Motion,” and copy describing a “blend of carbs, fiber, protein, and fat” that “gives kids energy so they can keep Zipping and Zooming along.”3ClassAction.org. Clif Bar Class Action Settlement The theory was consumer fraud: buyers relied on these claims and either wouldn’t have bought the bars, or wouldn’t have paid what they did, had they known the sugar content.4Fox 59. Bought a Clif Bar? You Could Be Paid as Part of a Class Action Settlement
Clif Bar denied wrongdoing. A company spokesperson said the settlement was “in the best interest of Clif Bar so that we can continue to focus on our commitment to creating nutritious and delicious products made with organic ingredients.”5Just Food. Clif Bar Settled Class Action Health Claims
Who Was Eligible
The settlement covered anyone in the United States who bought original Clif Bars (with the “Nutrition for Sustained Energy” label) or Clif Kid ZBars for personal use rather than resale. The purchase window depended on where the buyer lived:
- California and New York purchasers: April 19, 2014 through March 31, 2023.
- Everyone else in the U.S.: March 31, 2019 through March 31, 2023.3ClassAction.org. Clif Bar Class Action Settlement
Claims were limited to one per household. The claims deadline was November 25, 2024, and the deadline to opt out or object was October 22, 2024.6PR Newswire. If You Purchased Certain Clif Bar Company Bars Since April 2014, You Could Receive a Cash Payment
How Much Claimants Received
The $12 million fund was non-reversionary, meaning unclaimed money stayed in the pot rather than returning to Clif Bar. Payments used a tiered structure tied to the number of bars purchased, with larger amounts available to claimants who could show receipts.7Fast Company. Clif Bar Class Action Sugar Lawsuit Settlement
Without proof of purchase, the tiers were $5 for up to 30 bars, $10 for 31 to 60 bars, and $15 for more than 60 bars. With proof of purchase, claimants received $15 for the first 60 bars and $0.25 per additional bar, capped at $50 per household.7Fast Company. Clif Bar Class Action Sugar Lawsuit Settlement
Response was heavy. A total of 506,575 valid claims came in, roughly 92,000 of them with proof of purchase, and about $6.7 million of the fund was available for claim payments after administrative costs and other deductions. That triggered a pro rata reduction. Actual payments to claimants without receipts came in at $4.50 for up to 30 bars, $8.40 for up to 60 bars, and $12 for more than 60 bars. The highest estimated payment was $44.20.8Claim Depot. Clif Bars Class Action Settlement Misleading Healthy Labels
What Changed on the Packaging
Clif Bar also agreed to alter its labels. The company committed to drop “Nutrition” and “Nutritious” from original Clif Bar packaging and to remove “Nutritious” and “Nourishing Kids in Motion” from Clif Kid ZBars. Those changes apply to both outer boxes and individual wrappers, and the company must keep them in place for at least 24 months so long as 10% or more of a bar’s calories come from added sugars.9ClassAction.org. Milan et al. v. Clif Bar and Company Motion for Preliminary Approval
Case Status
Judge James Donato granted preliminary approval of the revised settlement on July 12, 2024,10Truth in Advertising. Milan v. Clif Bar Pre-Approval Order and final approval on March 21, 2025. The settlement administrator, Postlethwaite & Netterville, began issuing payments on May 20, 2025. No further claims can be filed.8Claim Depot. Clif Bars Class Action Settlement Misleading Healthy Labels