Bigelow Tea "Manufactured in the USA" settlement
Banks, et al. v. R.C. Bigelow, Inc.
Also known as Banks v. Bigelow; Tea Class Action; Manufactured in the USA tea; 2:20-cv-06208
The lawsuit said Bigelow falsely advertised certain tea boxes as Manufactured in the USA.
Copied from the official notice. Last compared Nov 7, 2026.
- You could get
- $0.50 per box Up to $20 with proof of purchase.
Source
“$0.50 per box”
From the administrator site: Official settlement website home page. Last compared Nov 7, 2026.
- You need
- Receipt pays more How many boxes of each listed tea you bought at California stores (no proof needed for up to 20 boxes) Quick claim: describes the claim form only
Source
“please provide how many units of each category of Bigelow Tea Product(s) you purchased ... please include your Proof of Purchase, which can be any receipt, copies of receipts, paid invoice, or other similar types of documentation ... Unique ID (this is only applicable if you received a notice via mail or email) ... If you wish to receive payment electronically (via Zelle, Venmo, or PayPal), you must complete the Claim Form online at www.TeaClassAction.com.”
From the administrator site: Official paper claim form (PDF on official site). Last compared Nov 7, 2026.
- Who can file
- Bought Bigelow tea at a California store, Oct 2017 to July 2023
Source
“If you purchased any Bigelow Tea Products at a retail store in California from October 17, 2017 to July 31, 2023, you may be a Settlement Class Member. “Bigelow Tea Products” include any 18/20 count box of Bigelow Earl Grey Black Tea Caffeine, Green Tea Caffeine, Constant Comment Black Tea Caffeine, Green Lemon Tea Caffeine, Vanilla Chai Black Tea Caffeine, English Tea Time Black Tea Caffeine, Spiced Chai Black Tea Caffeine, French Vanilla Black Tea Caffeine, or Vanilla Caramel Black Tea Caffeine, labeled as “Manufactured in the USA 100% American Family Owned.” You are not a member of the Settlement Class if: (a) you timely and properly exclude yourself from this Settlement, explained in Question 9 below, (b) you are a distributor or retailer of Bigelow Tea Products, (c) you are a member of the Court or its staff, (d) you are the Mediator or his staff, or (e) you are counsel of record for the Parties or their immediate family members.”
From the administrator site: Official FAQ page. Last compared Nov 7, 2026.
- Where
- California only
Source
“If you purchased any Bigelow Tea Products at a retail store in California from October 17, 2017 to July 31, 2023, you may be a Settlement Class Member.”
From the administrator site: Official settlement website home page. Last compared Nov 7, 2026.
- Time to file
- About 4 minutes
Source
Our estimate of how long the official claim form takes. The notice does not say.
From the official site: teaclassaction.com. Last compared Nov 7, 2026.
Free. The official site never charges.
Quick answers
How much is the Bigelow Tea "Manufactured in the USA" settlement payout?
$0.50 per box. Up to $20 with proof of purchase.
Where is the Bigelow Tea "Manufactured in the USA" settlement claim form?
On the official site, www.teaclassaction.com. Filing is free. The last day to file is Feb 8, 2027.
When will the Bigelow Tea "Manufactured in the USA" settlement pay?
Payment can only happen after the court gives final approval and any appeals are over.
The final approval hearing is set for May 17, 2027.
Is the Bigelow Tea "Manufactured in the USA" settlement legit?
The settlement administrator (the company that handles claims) is JND, and the official site is www.teaclassaction.com. Real notices point there; if a link in a message goes anywhere else, do not use it.
The official site never asks you to pay to file.
Compare yourself to the official class definition
You may be included if you bought 18/20-count Bigelow tea boxes labeled Manufactured in the USA at a California store, 10/17/17-7/31/23.
It covers Earl Grey, Green, Constant Comment, Green Lemon, Vanilla Chai, English Tea Time, Spiced Chai, French Vanilla, Vanilla Caramel.
You are not included if you sell or distribute the teas, are court staff, the mediator or staff, or the parties' counsel or their family.
Check each condition yourself. The boxes are only for you; nothing is sent or stored.
If you purchased any Bigelow Tea Products at a retail store in California from October 17, 2017 to July 31, 2023, you may be a Settlement Class Member.
From the administrator site: Official settlement website home page
This checklist is for guidance only and can be wrong. Only the court's definition decides. Read the official wording before you file.
Official payout table
The amounts the settlement itself sets. We do not work out a personal amount.
| Option and condition | Amount |
|---|---|
| Each box of Bigelow teaUp to 20 without proof of purchase; up to 40 with proof | $0.50 |
| Most per claimThe most one claim can get | $20 |
Proof needed for every box past 20. One cap per household. May be cut shared among everyone who files, or raised shared among everyone who files up to double the cap if claims fall short.
Class Members residing in the same Household (i.e., the same mailing address) who each submit a Claim Form will only be entitled to a collective maximum payment of $10 or $20 per Household, depending on whether Proof of Purchase is submitted. If the aggregate total monetary value of valid Claim Forms submitted by all Class Members exceeds the Class Judgment Amount of $2,548,187, your Settlement Benefit will be reduced pro rata
From the administrator site: Official FAQ page
Estimates can change with the number of valid claims and court deductions. Guidance only.
How to file
-
Find the code from your notice
- The Unique ID from your notice, if you got one by mail or email
-
Gather what you need
No proof of purchase is required.
- How many boxes of each listed tea you bought at California stores (no proof needed for up to 20 boxes)
- For up to 40 boxes: a receipt, paid invoice or similar proof for each purchase you claim
- Your PayPal, Venmo or Zelle details if you want an electronic payment (online form only; paper forms are paid by check)
-
File online, or by mail
At www.teaclassaction.com, by Feb 8, 2027. Filing is free.
Or mail a paper claim form to:Tea Class Action, JND Legal Administration, P.O. Box 91307, Seattle, WA, 98111
The deadline note says: “Online through the settlement website no later than February 8, 2027, or by mail postmarked no later than February 8, 2027.” -
Save your confirmation
Keep your confirmation number or email. You do not need to file again.
Confirm with the administrator before you act.
After you file
Payment can only happen after the court gives final approval and any appeals are over.
The final approval hearing is set for May 17, 2027.
For context: First payments were issued 52 to 875 days after final approval, based on 15 settlements. Half were paid within 119 days. 1 of the 15 waited on appeals after approval.
Also ending this week
Related settlements
Case details
- Case
- Banks, et al. v. R.C. Bigelow, Inc.
- Court
- United States District Court for the Central District of California
- Case number
- 2:20-cv-06208-SVW (RAOx)
- Administrator
- JND
- Official site
- www.teaclassaction.com
- Settlement fund
- Class Judgment Amount of $2,548,187 (the jury's $2,360,744 award plus $187,443 in interest); fees, expenses, service awards and administration are paid separately
- Full payout terms
- $0.50 per box, up to $10 (no proof) or $20 (with proof)$0.50 per box: up to $10 (20 boxes) without proof of purchase (Option A), or up to $20 (40 boxes) with proof of purchase for each purchase claimed (Option B). Household members who each file share one $10 or $20 maximum. If valid claims add up to more than the $2,548,187 Class Judgment Amount, payments are reduced pro rata; if less, they are increased pro rata up to $20 (Option A) or $40 (Option B).
- Effort
- Easy, about 4 minutes
- States
- California
Other dates
- Opt-out (exclusion) deadline
- (ahead) source document
- Objection deadline
- (ahead) source document
- Final approval hearing
- (ahead) source document
The court’s exact words
If you purchased any Bigelow Tea Products at a retail store in California from October 17, 2017 to July 31, 2023, you may be a Settlement Class Member.
Quoted from the official notice. Read the notice for the full definition.
Our notes: The class is people who bought any Bigelow Tea Products at a retail store in California from October 17, 2017 to July 31, 2023. Bigelow Tea Products are any 18/20 count box of Bigelow Earl Grey Black Tea Caffeine, Green Tea Caffeine, Constant Comment Black Tea Caffeine, Green Lemon Tea Caffeine, Vanilla Chai Black Tea Caffeine, English Tea Time Black Tea Caffeine, Spiced Chai Black Tea Caffeine, French Vanilla Black Tea Caffeine or Vanilla Caramel Black Tea Caffeine labeled "Manufactured in the USA 100% American Family Owned." Not included: people who exclude themselves, distributors or retailers of the teas, members of the Court or its staff, the Mediator or his staff, and counsel of record for the Parties or their immediate family members. Household members who each file share one $10 or $20 maximum per household.
Sources and checks (6)
Every fact people act on was copied from the official source and compared with it. How we check
- Official settlement website home page administrator site
- Official Key Dates page administrator site
- Official FAQ page administrator site
- Official File a Claim page administrator site
- Official paper claim form (PDF on official site) administrator site
- Official long-form notice (PDF on official site) administrator site
What changedLast change Oct 29, 2026
- Page created. Claims open until February 8, 2027. source document
Questions
I already filed. What now?
Keep your confirmation number or email. You do not need to file again. Payment can only happen after the court gives final approval; once it does, the payment status page shows what is known.
Opting out
To leave the settlement and keep your right to sue on your own, follow the official notice by Jan 7, 2027. If you opt out, you get no payment. Opting out and objecting have separate rules; we cannot tell you which is right for you.