StarKist Tuna Class Action Settlement: Request Up to $25 Check or $50 Worth of Free Starkist Products
Did you purchase at least one Starkist Chunk Light in Water or Oil 5oz OR Solid White in Water or Oil in the United States between Feb. 19th, 2009 and Oct. 31st, 2014? If so, you qualify for up to a $25 check or $50 worth of FREE Starkist products via the StarKist Tuna Class Action Settlement.
To submit your claim, head here and complete the form no later than November 20th, 2015. You can also request that a copy of the claim form be mailed to you by calling 1-888- 643-6376. You may choose to receive either a cash refund or a voucher for free products. Click here for more information.
** No proof of purchase is necessary to obtain settlement benefits. However, the Claim Form must be signed by you under penalty of perjury (either by hand or, if you submit it online, electronically), affirming that you are a qualified member of the Settlement Class and that the information provided therein is true and accurate to the best of your knowledge. **
Are you wondering what this lawsuit is about? According to the StarKist tuna class action lawsuit, which was filed in February 2013 by plaintiff Patrick Hendricks, federal law requires 5-ounce cans to contain an average of 2.84 to 3.23 ounces of tuna. However, Hendricks alleges that 5-ounce cans of StarKist tuna only contain an average of 2.81 to 3.11 ounces of tuna.
Hendricks claims he would not have purchased the StarKist tuna products if he had known they did not contain an adequate amount of tuna for a 5-ounce can. He filed the class action lawsuit on behalf of himself and a Class of consumers who purchased the allegedly under-filled cans of StarKist tuna.
This is… Kind of insane.
I agree- I love that you can lose 0.03 oz (1.05%) and that the courts would actually hear this to the point that it reached settlement… Only in America.
LOL! Agreed. I can’t wait to blog about this 😂
Times millions of cans — I think they make lots of money.
I agree! He probably sat and enjoyed his tuna after he carefully weighed it down to the partial ounce.
Why are you all sticking up for this company that violated federal law and cheated us all out of tuna?? Over millions of cans, the savings to them was quite hefty. If they get away with something small, they will get away with something big too.
Right? Yeah, it’s pennies to you but that’s like saying you’re okay with someone taking a couple of cents out of your bank account every day. It’s only a couple of pennies, but it adds up. The 5-ounce cans are already required to ONLY carry up to 3.23 ounces…why is it okay for them to gyp you even MORE?
I agree that it isn’t a lot, but they can’t even meet the bare minimum? I already know I’m not getting the full ounces, they don’t need to make it worse by reducing the cans to even less!
Agree 100% ^^^
I’m sick of big companies taking advantage of people. I hope they get sued to pieces!!! It’s about time Americans sock it to these big companies. I hope big chicken companies are next. Not the farmers but, the companies that control the farmers!!!
Exactly.
I wasn’t going to send for the free tuna because I thought this was kind of insane, but you’re correct. This company had scales to measure the product and they chose to not stick within regulations. The quantity of tuna may be small, but take that over millions of cans and you can see that the company took us all for quite a hefty sum. It’s amazing really that such a minuscule amount can really add up. Thank you!
Exactly! I make tuna salad for sandwiches on Friday or Sat nt. There have been times it’s taken me 3 or 4 cans of Starkist, even with eggs, celery & relish to stretch it, to have enough for my family. Other times 2 cans is enough. I always found it odd the consistency was never the same. Thankful for the aware consumers who catch these co’s trying to skimp.
I don’t think this lawsuit is so out there. Remember, until a few years ago, the standard size of a can of tuna was something like 7 oz. If they are going to sell us a smaller sized can, for no less money, then they should be held to filling the cans with a standard amount of tuna. Come on, they are already getting a huge break by only being required to put just over 3 oz of product, in a 5 oz can. Really, they don’t need that much water or oil to keep the tuna moist in a sealed can. The foil packages don’t require that much liquid. So, why so much for a can?
Wow! This is the best example of debate I’ve seen on social media. I’m impressed that you admitted to changing your opinion and with the manner it was handled. On another note, I too definitely noticed the cans were short on weight, and started purchasing a store brand due to the lack of product! I don’t have scales to measure, but I’m thankful someone did!
It’s kinda fishy…
Haha!
LOL- i needed that!
Perfect! 😂😂
haha!
^Like!
Win!
This is crazy..with everything going on in the world right now you’d think people would realize that there’s bigger fish to fry.
Thanks. I know I have purchased this product many times for my DH so I submitted a claim.
what is dh?
Dear Husband – it is shorthand a lot of people use on the internet
Dear husband
DH= Dear Husband
Got it!
So really…. we’re talking .03 oz. under the federal requirement? And that’s only the cans that didn’t reach the 2.81 minimum.
I don’t think I could rightly involve myself in this class action, even though I probably bought 10 cans during that period… considering it’s packed in liquid, I know I’m not getting 5oz. Just like when I buy a 16oz soda at a drive through, I expect to get about 8oz of drink.
I ask for a drink with no ice. Then I ask for a cup of ice 😜😜😜
Lol My husband does this all the time. Drives the cashier crazy.
Lol that is an awesome idea!! I hate when it’s filled to the top with ice!
We do this as well and I have noticed that, through the drive thru, the drinks in the cups will be down about an inch from the top. One time I gave it back and asked the girl to FILL it and she told me she couldn’t because the drink machines were pre-set. I questioned why she couldn’t manually fill it, but that was beyond her comprehension level.
i always never get ice in my drinks, period. i did an experiment once, buying a large soda (20oz) filled with ice&soda from one of the chains. i got home and emptied the cup.
so i filled a glass with the soda to see how much soda i got. it was around 7 oz. of soda and the rest is ice.
think about that next time you order a soda with ice. so now i order no ice and get a true 20oz, or whatever size i get it’s filled with a full liquid beverage.
I always get fountain drinks without ice not because I want more beverage, but because I’ve watched too many stories on nasty ice machines!
It’s funny cause I LOVE, LOVE ice in my drinks, but “extra ice” totally jips you out of an already over-priced drink. So, I’ll either order it normal/regular or ask for “light ice” and always with an extra cup of ice on the side.
And at the *Buck’s, for a long time I was not aware their Iced Teas are concentrated “bases” that they add water to. So, now I order it with “no water” and will add my own water. I always have some with me.) Sometimes I’ll order “no water/no ice” if I’m heading home or saving for later.
Also, I refuse to pay for drinks in a restaurant (other than coffee at breakfast)! Because I know there is NO way I’m going to drink enough soda/tea to make it worth while. For a family of four, drinks cost you between $8-$12 now! If I need a drink, besides water 95% of the time I’ll share with a family member. I only want enough to satisfy the soda craving, maybe half a glass, and I’m done … So, I’ll just sip off yours. 😛
So, basically you are saying that it’s OK for corporations to consistently sell you things that are smaller than they advertise/promise.
Which means you’d be OK with your butcher selling you what’s supposed to be a 12oz steak for 10ozes.
To me, if I am purchasing a product that is supposed to contain X ounces in it, and it consistently contains only Y ounces, a smaller amount, that’s an issue. If it were once or twice, I could overlook that, but obviously it has been found that this company has consistently been overcharging its customers, and that is wrong. They have to be taught that they cannot get away with that.
It isn’t comparable to selling a 10oz steak and calling it 12 oz.
Going by the tuna math, it would be like selling an 11.89 oz steak as a 12oz
This is the only tuna I purchase, thank you for the information.
I am not submitting a claim, even though I purchased the products, due to the absurdity of the lawsuit.
Agreed
Agreed… I understand that its the law and that .03 ounces adds up when you add up every can they sell… but its still insane that this was even heard in court
It wasn’t heard in court, that’s why it’s called a settlement.
Totally agree. Crazy!! Wish more time and energy was spent on more important issues!
Take that corporate scum! Haha- only joking. This is quite ridiculous……I know I’ve bought starkist over the years- but dont think I would feel better by taking advantage of the situation. I’ll pass.
I only buy StarKist tuna & it’s always the kind in water but I’ll pass.
The “click here” link isn’t working for me. I’m on my phone.
This is RIDICULOUS!!! CLearly NOT asking for $ due to such a small discrepancy. Love that we live in a capitalist country – not willing to be part of the greedy.
Most class action lawsuits are either settled out of court. Or The party is found guilty by the judge, and ordered to pay a set amount in restitution. For example $1 million dollars divided and dispersed to those that file a claim. Even if you don’t request a refund yourself; Starkist will still pay out the $1 million (approx) and what funds don’t go to claimants will go to lawyers and/or the original claimant who filed the case. Just an FYI 🙂
Its not greedy. You pay for a product or service, you should get 100%, not 98%.
You say you don’t want to be part of the greedy, but your on a website/app that teaches you to manipulate coupons to take money from companies. To get cheaper if not free stuff. Isn’t that a little hypocritical?
?! So you’re saying everyone that uses coupons are greedy?? Using coupons are taking money from companies??? What??
Coupons are sent out/printed FROM companies to their targeted customers in order to advertise their products/boost up their sales…etc. They WANT people to use their coupons so that they can get more sales! That’s one of the more effective ways to get people to actually purchase their products. How is that greedy?????
Wonder if the person that filed the suit (and his lawyer) get more money if less people put in a claim?
usually they each get a set amount… after the set amount and court fees, the rest is divided by the other consumers
I too have bought this tuna. But I think you are all right. The lawsuit is absurd!! Is this going to open up the flood gates for every product to have its weight verified? And then for there to be lawsuit after lawsuit? Yes, there needs to be an accountability system. Fine the company, whatever. But all this is going to do is continue to raise prices of food, in my opinion.
I agree Tami, I should’ve been more clear that the company should definitely be penalized, but not necessarily in this way.
I think the reason it was a class action lawsuit vs. a fine is because it was found by an individual. If a government agency would have found it, it would have been a fine.
… which would still raise the price of food (referring to a fine).
I get that companies should be honest but some people are sue happy and it only hurts us on the end.
But they’re the ones hurting us in the first place. Sure it may not seem like much, but they need to be told that it’s not okay for them to do that. It’s like being bullied and saying “Well it’s okay, it’s only a little.” No, there are rules and it’s not okay.
I am submitting a claim, companies should have to make sure the weight is correct.. we are paying for that amount, not a little less each time. That’s how companies make more money.. but it’s cheating. and we should be compensated if they cheated and we bought their products. So thank you for bringing it to our attention Hip To Save!
This is REALLY nice to see on here, people not taking advantage. I tire of the folks who say “I filed twelve, one for me and each of my cats!” Then they go into a tirade when someone suggests that taking advantage hurts everyone else in the long run. Ugh….
Thanks for
I have bought this also but I won’t be filing anything. I did file for the energy drink one last year and never got a check anyways. So I guess the chances you see any money is probably slim.
Hp had a lawsuit going on in 2011 about ink. I finally got my settlement this year sometimes it takes awhile.
I was wondering about that, if anyone got it.
The final hearing was May 1st. They have 150 days to pay the settlement. Unless they appeal. Court stuff takes forever. You MIGHT see it by October.
I for one will claim what is mine. I purchase this all the time and chances are they have gained profits from shorting me on my purchase. Thanks for the info!
I agree and will be filing. Every company makes a profit or else they would not be in business anymore. This company has been around for a long time and who knows how long they have been short changing the consumer. In the long run, they will probably raise costs to cover this suit so if you choose to purchase the product again,
you’ll be paying for everyone who did or did not file. No winners in this situation.
This is the only kind of tuna we buy. No problems at all and have been buying since the 80s
well i am not usually a sue-happy person… but i think its a good thing that someone stepped up to a big company. If they cheated out millions of customers, it was wrong on their part and there should be consequences. Period. Doesn’t matter if they did it by a few ounces, .005 or .0005 of an ounce, bottom line is they cheated out customers.
This. ^^^
Multiply the discrepancy amount times millions of cans they sell, and that’s a lot of money in their pocket, not ours. They cheated customers, and there’s a price to pay for that. That is my opinion. 🙂
THANK YOU.
Same concept as the partial penny scheme from Office Space!
Wow…thought I was the only person thinking that. Lol
I filed for redbull last year and never got anything??
Nothing from RedBull
The $ settlement is not supposed to be distributed til later this year
thanks…wasn’t sure of the date. I am fairly certain we opted for the product on that one
It usually takes a year, sometimes more for class action payout. My husband got a postcard that he was in an automatic class action lawsuit for some lighting defect on a car he owned a few years ago, oh around Jan or Feb of last year. He just got an $11 ck in the mail last wk.
7. When will I get my payment?
The Court held a hearing on May 1, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. and approved the settlement. Unless there are appeals, payments to eligible Claimants will be distributed within 150 days after the Court grants final approval of the settlement. Cash reimbursement in the form of a check will be made directly to eligible Claimants by first class mail after entitlement to payment to all eligible Claimants is determined. Red Bull products fulfilling the Product Option will be shipped directly to eligible Claimants selecting the Product Option after entitlement to payment to all eligible Claimants is determined via a shipping method to be determined by Red Bull at its discretion. Please be patient. However, if shipment of Red Bull products to a particular Settlement Class Member is not feasible or commercially reasonable then Red Bull may substitute cash reimbursement for that particular Settlement Class Member.
It is kind of nuts. But, I do buy their canned tuna so I will fill out the form.
Ridiculous.
Let’s go after the bigger fish here… Potato Chip companies. So much air, so little chips. :op
Funny that you say that. Look at a bag of Lays lately? Crazy how many ounces are in a bag now. I refuse to buy unless it’s on sale($1.99) with some sort of coupon or rebate.
Filed
Its like the lawsuit someone filed because they claimed there were not enough blue colored m&m’s in their bag. They had too many brown ones. Good grief!
And don’t forget the Nutella… Sued because people thought they were buying a healthy food!
I filed. This is the only brand I buy and we eat tuna at least once a month. I asked for the vouchers. If they were shorting me tuna all these years I have no problem getting what I already paid for.
I agree!
it’s funny/ironic I am reading this… I have been really counting out portions/calories and I just purchased 2 boxes of Kraft Deluxe Mac n Cheese (not healthy i know lol, but on sale). The box says there are approximately 4, 1 cup servings per box. Each box had slightly under 3 cups in it. To me that’s a “far cry” from approximately 4.
Some boxes might specify whether it’s cooked or not in the serving size.
Yea it says cooked. And its 3 cups/a little less cooked in both boxes i had.
This reminded me of my friend who was throwing a dinner party and bought a 36 pack of HEB (grocery store in southern states) corn tortillas. She needed exactly 32 for the 16 guests she was having over.. Pack only had 29 in it 😂😂😂😂 hahah! the things we let companies get away with bc we don’t hold them accountable!
That’s too funny. 😉 Love my HEB stores! They are only in South & Central Texas!! There are 2 close to N Texas. Plans are to eventually expand there. We need them all over Texas. HEB and Whataburger – Texas traditions. WB just opened in Ark!
Weighing in *pun intended* [i’m sorry, i think i’m funny;] …
Anyone else taken notice McDonald’s now only puts HALF a piece of cheese on their Filet-O-Fish?!?!? And it’s not something that just happened … It’s been that way for awhile now. Everytime I think about ordering one, I tell myself I’m going to ask for the “full” slice of cheese. (Maybe it’s a So.Cal. thing?)
I always buy starkist
I have purchased this product for years I know I got a can like that so I submitted a dang claim
All this is going to do is raise the price of the tuna even more. People are crazy if they think what little money they may get from this will actually be worth it. This company is not going to foot the bill. The consumers are.
They can raise the price all they want, but I have a strict price point, so I won’t buy. I have four cans of Starkist right now, but a heckuvalot more Bumblebee. Bumblebee goes up? There are other proteins.
My family eats a ton of this tuna between my husband and I we have probably bought over 200 cans since 2009!
This is actually the most ridiculous claim ever.. All that will happen is they will raise the price of the product. What is this world coming too?? There ar people starving in the world…
Exactly! There are people starving! Like us who buy the cans to eat when we are starving! And we get cheated!!!
Like!
You’re not going to file a claim? So, basically you are saying that it’s OK for corporations to consistently sell you things that are smaller than they advertise/promise.
Which means you’d be OK with your butcher selling you what’s supposed to be a 12oz steak for 10ozes.
To me, if I am purchasing a product that is supposed to contain X ounces in it, and it consistently contains only Y ounces, a smaller amount, that’s an issue. If it were once or twice, I could overlook that, but obviously it has been found that this company has consistently been overcharging its customers, and that is wrong. They have to be taught that they cannot get away with that.
I am going to file a claim, not because I am greedy, but because corporations have enough power in this country, I am not going to let them get away with cheating people even more than they already do. Since 2009, I have spent way, way more than $25 on StarKist brand tuna, because it’s the favorite brand in my household for tuna. It is not right of them to charge me for a product, and give me less than that product actually contains.
I want to know why they can label the can 5 oz of tuna packed in whatever but by law only have to give you 2.81 ounces? I believe it should state 2.81 ounces of tuna in each 5 oz can
It says 5 oz packed, but 4 oz drained. I’m sure they were adding more water to make up the weight difference.
I would like to know that as well. If I read 5 oz. that’s what I’m thinking I’m getting. Is it this way on ALL products? I like to think I’m a smart shopper. But after this- not so much 😩
Yeah, underneath where it says 5 oz Net, it says 4 oz Drained. I have Starkist & Bumble Bee in my cabinet and both say the same thing. So you’re really not even getting 4 oz of tuna, but 3 oz or less? What a rip off! I guess the can is part of the net weight ? No wonder I have to use so many when I made tuna salad!
Well it may seem like a small amunt but companies should not cheat or lie in order to make higher profit.
On the other hand, i just came back from the post office and the kids lady said i should tape up my box. I told her i could do it and reacher for her tape dispenser. She said ” no please dont touch it, its not allowed.” Apparently some idiot cut their hand in the sharp part of the dispenser and sued them and whats even worse…..won the case.
You can also OPT OUT of the settlement at the same website.
I don’t like that you can submit an affidavit only to participate in the lawsuit but need to OPT OUT by mail only. I would guess opt outs reduce the amount given to the lawyers.
Aint that something all this time ive been buying this and never noticed i just recently bought some😡😡
Both the pro and con comments are valid, but something nobody addresses: “the evil company” is made up of individual employees. Was this an employee cutting corners? Was there an order from higher up to under-fill (and nobody in the company called them on it)? Was the machinery not calibrated correctly? There could be a myriad of reasons for the under-filling. Not having looked into this issue, I personally don’t know. But if Starkist decided to settle, they’re either acknowledging that there was a provable issue, or it was just cheaper to settle (and sue-happy people know this).
My guess is that each can (or maybe a few test cans) was weighed since there is a federal regulation on this. Someone within the company knew there wasn’t the correct amount.
Well that’s disheartening. We’ve been buying about 2 cans of tuna from this brand every month, and have for years. Won’t be buying from them again, ever.
Really? Let’s do some math. You buy 2 can per month which is a discrepancy of .24 oz per month. Which is 2.88 oz per year. Let just say for arguments sake that you have been buying this for 20 years. That’s 57.6 oz, which divided by 3.23 is 17.83 cans. Let’s round that to 18 cans x $1 per can. $18 you are owed. They’re offering you $25 cash or $50 in product. Yet you won’t buy from them again because they cheated you?? Sad.
Agreed
If this had happened in 2002-2003 I would’ve requested several vouchers! I was eating 3-4 cans a week when I was pregnant with my youngest child, and I still buy at least 10 cans a month. I have no doubt that prices will go up because of this, but I am entitled to what I paid for, just like everyone else. The prices for everything are going up anyways and even without this suit you can rest assured they would go up on their prices too. Tuna used to be about 50 cents a can, and now you’re lucky if you can find it for less than $1 a can. So add me to the list of voucher recipients, please and thank you!
I agree Christy. I remember when tuna was .50 per can, and now that it’s so expensive I make sure to stock up when they go on sale for 2/$1.00. I also buy the bundle of them from Sam’s if I run out and no one has them on sale. My kids love tuna and crackers. My preferred brand is Starkist with oil.
So let’s make this a win-win. I think I will file the claim, and donate the free items from the voucher to a local food bank.
Great idea Carrie! 🙂
Yay! That is a lovely idea!!! 🎀
How is this any different than being over charged for something? A scale being off in the fruit or meat department? You were over charged for product you did not receive.
When shopping, I shake the cans to see which ones don’t sound as watery. Other shoppers give me “that look”.
This made me chuckle. Oh! The weird things some of us shoppers do. 😛
Side Note: It would be interesting (with enough money) to buy all the different varieties of all major brands and do an average weight comparison.
I weigh bags of potatoes. It’s surprising how many don’t actually have the amount they say they do. Hey maybe I should sue?! 😜
Wow! I have never ever thought of weighing the bags of potatoes (or onions, apples, oranges, grapes, etc.) to see if it comes close to the weight on the package label. Whoa! You’ve got me thinking now.
One thing I do is when purchasing something in a clear bottle (soap, oil, mouthwash, etc.) I’ll scan the top/neck and try to grab one with the highest line. Crazy, I know, but you’d be surprised.
Oh! Something I ALWAYS do is check expiration dates!!! ;P
I filed as I have bought said products so many times I can’t count . I pay for a product I expect that product to live up to my standards .
As far as being “sue happy “, I am not .
We live in a fixed income every month and I coupon to make ends meet . So ya I’m filing and maybe this will be a wake up call for other companies .
This is the only brand of tuna we buy (always in water) and we buy at least 4-6 cans a month. Thanks for the info.
Thanks for he HU, Collin and support staff.
I will file a claim, but am uncertain which option I will choose. I’m a solid white in water gal (although I’ve tried Tonno brand and it was decent). If the $50 vouchers are for my preferred variety, I will opt for vouchers. However, if the $50 vouchers have verbiage that restricts, the cash option works best or me. In any event, I will continue buying Starkist (as well as Bumble Bee, Trader Joe’s and COS) tuna.
I bought all the listed Starkist Tunas and I bought a lot of them. I opted for the voucher. If they shorted consumers on a massive scale then they should make up for it. Those missing fractions can add up to quite a bit of $_tuna_$ over the sale of millions/billions/trillions of sales. The point of the suit is to stop companies from breaking the law and deceiving consumers. That’s fair.
This has been interesting to read. My daughter used 6 cans per week for family lunches. Over the five year period she was short changed 46.8 POUNDS of tuna according to our calculations. Not okay.
I think you mean 46.8 OUNCES.
I have and will continue buying starkist tuna like I have been doing since the 1980’s.
My mom submitted her claim yesterday for the $50 Voucher (which included her claim number). Before I submitted my own claim (we now currently live at the same residence), I double-checked the website and couldn’t find any information like “one per household.” (Open to all legal US Residents.) So, I filed mine this morning for the $50 Voucher, but my claim number was “-1.” Anyone else have this happen?