To file a claim in the ZOA Energy “0 Preservatives” class action settlement, you needed to visit www.ZOASettlement.com, fill out the online claim form with your purchase details, and submit it before the February 20, 2026 deadline. The settlement, stemming from *Mikhail Gershzon v. ZOA Energy, LLC* (Case No. 3:23-cv-5444-JD), offered up to $10 without proof of purchase or up to $150 with receipts, drawn from a $3,000,000 settlement fund.
Unfortunately, the claim filing deadline has now passed, but the Final Approval Hearing is still scheduled for March 26, 2026. This article walks through the full step-by-step process that was required to file a claim online, explains who qualified, breaks down how payment amounts were calculated, and covers what happens next now that the deadline has closed. Even though you can no longer submit a new claim, understanding the process is valuable if you already filed and want to know what to expect, or if you want to be better prepared for similar settlements in the future. For example, if you bought a case of ZOA Energy drinks at Costco in 2023 and kept your receipt, you could have claimed up to $150 — a meaningful payout compared to many consumer class actions.
Table of Contents
- What Were the Steps to File the ZOA Energy Preservative-Free Settlement Claim Online?
- Who Was Eligible for the ZOA Energy Settlement and What Were the Limits?
- Why Did ZOA Energy Face a Lawsuit Over Its “0 Preservatives” Label?
- Filing With Proof of Purchase vs. Without — What Was the Practical Difference?
- What Happens After the Claim Deadline Has Passed?
- How to Contact the Settlement Administrator With Questions
- What This Settlement Means for Future Energy Drink Labeling Claims
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Were the Steps to File the ZOA Energy Preservative-Free Settlement Claim Online?
The online filing process was straightforward and could be completed in under ten minutes. First, you visited the official settlement website at www.zoaSettlement.com. From there, you clicked through to the online claim form and entered your personal information, including your name and mailing address. Next, you indicated the number of ZOA Energy cans you purchased during the class period — March 1, 2021 through November 21, 2025. If you had receipts or other proof of purchase, you uploaded those documents to qualify for the higher per-can payout. Finally, you submitted the form electronically.
For those who preferred paper, the website also offered a downloadable claim form that could be printed, filled out by hand, and mailed to Kroll Settlement Administration at P.O. Box 225391, New York, NY 10150-5391. Mailed forms needed to be postmarked by February 20, 2026. The electronic option was faster and provided immediate confirmation of submission, which is why most settlement administrators recommend filing online when possible. Compare this to the mail option, where a lost envelope or delayed postmark could mean your claim never gets processed — with no easy way to verify it was received. Whether you filed online or by mail, the core information required was the same: your identity, your contact details, and the number of cans you purchased. The form did not require you to specify which ZOA flavors you bought or where you purchased them, only that the products carried the “0 Preservatives” label.
Who Was Eligible for the ZOA Energy Settlement and What Were the Limits?
Eligibility was open to all U.S. residents who purchased any ZOA Energy drink labeled “0 Preservatives” between March 1, 2021 and November 21, 2025, as long as the purchase was for personal consumption rather than resale. This meant retailers, distributors, and anyone who bought ZOA to sell it at their own store were excluded. The settlement was specifically about the consumer-facing claim on the label, so only end consumers qualified. However, there was an important limitation built into the payment structure. Without proof of purchase, claimants were capped at $1 per can with a maximum of $10. With proof of purchase — receipts, bank statements, or similar documentation — the cap jumped to $1 per can up to $150.
That is a fifteen-fold difference, and it created a practical divide. Someone who casually bought a few cans at a gas station and never kept the receipt was looking at a few dollars at most. A regular buyer who kept grocery receipts showing months of ZOA purchases could receive a significantly larger check. There was also a proportional reduction clause. If the total value of all approved claims exceeded the $3,000,000 fund, every claimant’s payment would be reduced proportionally. In settlements like this, where the product was widely available in grocery stores, convenience stores, and big-box retailers nationwide, high claim volumes can shrink individual payouts. This is a common reality in consumer class actions — the advertised maximums are ceilings, not guarantees.
Why Did ZOA Energy Face a Lawsuit Over Its “0 Preservatives” Label?
The lawsuit alleged that ZOA Energy’s labeling was misleading because its drinks contained citric acid and ascorbic acid, both of which can function as preservatives. While these ingredients are commonly used in beverages — citric acid as a flavoring and pH regulator, ascorbic acid as a source of vitamin C — they also have recognized preservative properties. The plaintiff, Mikhail Gershzon, argued that stamping “0 Preservatives” on the can was false advertising when the ingredient list included substances with known preservative functions. This case was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, a jurisdiction that has become a frequent venue for consumer protection class actions.
The Northern District has seen a steady stream of food and beverage labeling cases in recent years, from “all natural” claims to sugar content disputes. ZOA Energy, which gained visibility partly through its association with co-founder Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, settled without admitting wrongdoing — a standard practice in class action resolutions. The $3,000,000 settlement fund, while not enormous by corporate standards, reflected the scope of the alleged labeling issue across millions of cans sold over a roughly four-and-a-half-year class period. For consumers, this case is a useful example of how ingredient labeling disputes work in practice. A company can include an ingredient for one stated purpose while that same ingredient technically serves another function. The legal question centers on whether the marketing claim — in this case, “0 Preservatives” — creates a misleading impression for a reasonable consumer.
Filing With Proof of Purchase vs. Without — What Was the Practical Difference?
The difference between filing with and without proof of purchase was not just about the dollar amount — it changed the entire calculation of whether filing was worth the effort. Without receipts, you were limited to $10 total, even if you drank ZOA every day for four years. With receipts, you could claim up to $150, which could represent real compensation for a loyal customer. Consider two hypothetical claimants. One is a casual buyer who picked up a ZOA can at a gas station a handful of times and has no receipts. Filing a claim for $5 to $10 takes a few minutes online, so the effort-to-reward ratio still works.
The other is someone who bought a 12-pack of ZOA at Costco every month for two years — that is potentially 288 cans. With receipts, they could have claimed up to $150. Without them, they were stuck at $10 regardless of actual purchase history. This gap is a recurring frustration in class action settlements: the people most affected by the alleged deception often cannot prove their purchase history because they had no reason to save grocery receipts. One practical note for future reference — many grocery loyalty programs and credit card statements can serve as proof of purchase in settlements. If you shop at stores with digital receipt tracking, those records can sometimes be retrieved even months or years after the transaction. This is worth keeping in mind for the next settlement that comes along.
What Happens After the Claim Deadline Has Passed?
Now that the February 20, 2026 filing deadline has closed, no new claims can be submitted. If you missed the deadline, there is no late-filing option in this settlement. The claims administrator, Kroll Settlement Administration, is now in the process of reviewing all submitted claims, verifying eligibility, and calculating payment amounts. This review period typically takes several weeks to several months. The next major milestone is the Final Approval Hearing, scheduled for March 26, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time in Courtroom 11 of the San Francisco Courthouse.
At this hearing, Judge James Donato will review the settlement terms, consider any objections filed by class members (the objection deadline was February 13, 2026), and decide whether to grant final approval. If approved, payments will be distributed to eligible claimants after the court processes the final order and any appeal period expires. A warning worth noting: even after final approval, distribution is not immediate. Settlement checks or electronic payments typically arrive weeks to months after the hearing, depending on the complexity of claims processing and whether any appeals are filed. If you filed a claim, do not assume something went wrong if you have not received payment by April. These timelines routinely stretch longer than claimants expect.
How to Contact the Settlement Administrator With Questions
If you already filed a claim and have questions about its status, you can reach KrolSettlement Administrator[contact via the official settlement website]. The official settlement website at www.ZOASettlement.com may also have updated information about the timeline for payments following the Final Approval Hearing. For questions about legal rights related to this case, the appointed Class Counsel — Kuzyk Law, LLP and Law Offices of Peter N.
Wasylyk — represented the class at no cost to individual members. One thing to keep in mind: settlement administrators handle thousands of inquiries, especially around key deadlines and after hearings. If you call and experience long hold times or get a voicemail, try again during off-peak hours or check the website first. Many common questions — payment timelines, how to update your mailing address, or what happens if your check is lost — are often answered in the FAQ section of the settlement site.
What This Settlement Means for Future Energy Drink Labeling Claims
The ZOA Energy settlement fits into a broader pattern of food and beverage companies facing legal scrutiny over label claims that, while technically arguable, may mislead ordinary consumers. The “0 Preservatives” dispute is particularly instructive because it hinges on dual-function ingredients — substances added for one purpose that also serve a preservative role. As more consumers pay attention to ingredient labels and “clean” product claims, manufacturers can expect increased litigation when marketing language does not match the full picture.
For consumers, the takeaway is practical: keep receipts for products you buy regularly, sign up for store loyalty programs that track purchases, and check settlement notice websites when you hear about a case that might apply to you. Claim deadlines pass quickly — this one was open for roughly three months — and once they close, the opportunity is gone. Being organized about purchase records can turn a $10 claim into a $150 one the next time around.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still file a claim for the ZOA Energy settlement?
No. The claim filing deadline was February 20, 2026, and it has already passed. No late claims are being accepted.
How much will I receive if I filed a claim without proof of purchase?
You could receive up to $10 ($1 per can claimed), but if total claims exceed the $3 million fund, your payment may be reduced proportionally.
What counts as proof of purchase for this settlement?
Receipts showing ZOA Energy drink purchases during the class period (March 1, 2021 to November 21, 2025) were the primary form of proof. Some claimants may have also used bank or credit card statements.
When will I receive my payment?
Payments will not be issued until after the Final Approval Hearing on March 26, 2026, and potentially not for several weeks or months after that, depending on the claims review process and any appeals.
Who is the claims administrator for this settlement?
Kroll Settlement Administration is handling claims. You can reach them at (833) 890-6436 or through www.ZOASettlement.com.
Does filing a claim cost anything?
No. There is no cost to file a claim, and Class Counsel (Kuzyk Law, LLP and Law Offices of Peter N. Wasylyk) represented the class at no charge to individual members.
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