Despite what the title of this article might suggest, the ZOA Energy Preservative-Free Claims Settlement does not include credit monitoring — not for one year, not for three years, not at all. This is a false advertising case about misleading product labels, not a data breach. If you bought ZOA Energy drinks that were marketed as having “0 Preservatives” between March 1, 2021 and November 21, 2025, what you may actually be entitled to is cash — up to $150 per household if you have receipts, or up to $10 without them, from a $3 million settlement fund. The confusion is understandable.
Class action settlements get lumped together in people’s minds, and credit monitoring has become such a standard feature of data breach cases that consumers sometimes expect it in every settlement. But *Mikhail Gershzon v. ZOA Energy, LLC* is a straightforward consumer protection case. The allegation is that ZOA Energy, the brand co-founded by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, slapped a “0 Preservatives” label on drinks that contained citric acid and ascorbic acid — both of which can function as preservatives. This article will break down exactly what the settlement offers, who qualifies, how to file a claim, and the key deadlines you need to know.
Table of Contents
- Does the ZOA Energy Preservative-Free Settlement Include Credit Monitoring?
- What the ZOA Energy Settlement Actually Pays and Who Qualifies
- Why Citric Acid and Ascorbic Acid Triggered This Lawsuit
- How to File Your ZOA Energy Settlement Claim Before the Deadline
- What Happens at the Final Approval Hearing and After
- What This Settlement Means for Future ZOA Energy Labeling
- The Bigger Picture for Consumers and Food Labeling Lawsuits
- Frequently Asked Questions
Does the ZOA Energy Preservative-Free Settlement Include Credit Monitoring?
No. There is no credit monitoring component in this settlement whatsoever. The zoa Energy settlement is a consumer false advertising case, and credit monitoring is a remedy typically reserved for data breach settlements where personal information like Social Security numbers, financial data, or login credentials have been exposed. None of that happened here. Nobody’s data was stolen. ZOA Energy allegedly put a misleading label on a can of energy drink. To put this in perspective, compare the ZOA settlement to something like the Equifax data breach settlement from 2019, which offered up to ten years of free credit monitoring because hackers accessed the sensitive personal data of roughly 147 million people.
The ZOA case involves cans of energy drink with a label that said “0 Preservatives” when the product arguably contained ingredients that serve a preservative function. These are fundamentally different categories of harm, which is why the remedies look completely different. If you came to this article specifically looking for credit monitoring, you will not find it in this settlement — but you may still be owed money. The settlement in *Gershzon v. ZOA Energy, LLC* provides a $3 million fund to compensate consumers who purchased the mislabeled products. claims are paid at a rate of $1 per can, with the cap depending on whether you can prove your purchases with documentation. That is the full scope of what this case offers.
What the ZOA Energy Settlement Actually Pays and Who Qualifies
The settlement fund totals $3 million, which covers approved claims, attorney fees, and administrative costs. To be eligible, you must be a U.S. resident who purchased any ZOA Energy drink labeled “0 Preservatives” for personal consumption — not for resale — during the class period of March 1, 2021 through November 21, 2025. If you bought ZOA at a gas station, grocery store, gym, or anywhere else during that window, you likely qualify. There are two tiers of compensation. If you kept your receipts or have other proof of purchase, you can claim $1 per can up to a maximum of $150 per household.
If you do not have receipts, you can still file a claim for $1 per can, but the cap drops to $10 per household. That is a significant difference — a factor of fifteen — so it pays to dig through old bank statements or digital purchase records if you were a regular ZOA buyer. Some credit card apps and loyalty programs maintain searchable purchase histories that could serve as documentation. However, keep in mind that because this is a limited fund, actual payouts may be adjusted depending on how many valid claims are submitted. If the number of approved claims exceeds the available funds after legal costs, each claimant’s payment could be reduced proportionally. That is standard for common fund settlements, and it means there is no guarantee you will receive the full amount you claim.
Why Citric Acid and Ascorbic Acid Triggered This Lawsuit
The core of this case rests on a straightforward allegation: ZOA Energy marketed its drinks with prominent “0 preservatives” labeling, but the products contained citric acid and ascorbic acid. Both of these ingredients are well-documented to have preservative properties. Citric acid inhibits bacterial growth and is widely used in food manufacturing specifically for that purpose. Ascorbic acid, commonly known as vitamin C, functions as an antioxidant that slows spoilage. The plaintiff, Mikhail Gershzon, argued that labeling a product “0 Preservatives” while including these ingredients was misleading to consumers. ZOA Energy could argue — and companies in similar cases often do — that citric acid and ascorbic acid were included for flavor or nutritional purposes rather than as preservatives.
This is technically possible; citric acid adds tartness, and ascorbic acid is vitamin C. But the legal issue is not why the ingredients were added. The issue is whether telling consumers there are zero preservatives in a product that contains ingredients capable of acting as preservatives is deceptive. Courts have increasingly sided with consumers on these kinds of labeling disputes, and ZOA apparently concluded that settling for $3 million was preferable to rolling the dice at trial. For context, this fits into a broader trend of class action lawsuits targeting “clean label” marketing in the food and beverage industry. Companies that make bold claims like “all natural,” “no artificial ingredients,” or “preservative free” have faced a wave of litigation when the ingredient lists tell a more complicated story. If you buy products based on these kinds of label claims, this case is a useful reminder to read the actual ingredients panel rather than trusting the marketing on the front of the package.
How to File Your ZOA Energy Settlement Claim Before the Deadline
The claims deadline was February 20, 2026, meaning claims needed to be submitted online or postmarked by mail by that date. If you have not yet filed and are reading this after that deadline, you have likely missed your window. The official settlement website at zoasettlement.com was the primary portal for submitting claims, and it may still contain information about the status of the settlement and payout timeline. For those who filed before the deadline, the process involved providing basic personal information and indicating the approximate number of ZOA Energy cans purchased during the class period. Claimants seeking more than $10 needed to upload or mail proof of purchase — receipts, bank statements, or other transaction records showing ZOA purchases.
The tradeoff here was straightforward: spending a few minutes gathering documentation could mean the difference between a $10 payout and up to $150. For someone who drank one ZOA per day over several years, the math favored putting in the effort. The opt-out deadline was February 13, 2026 — a full week before the claims deadline. Anyone who wanted to preserve their right to sue ZOA Energy independently needed to have submitted a written opt-out request by that date. Opting out meant giving up any payment from this settlement but retaining the ability to pursue a separate legal claim. For most consumers, opting out made little sense given the relatively small individual stakes, but it was an option for anyone who felt their damages exceeded what this settlement offered.
What Happens at the Final Approval Hearing and After
The Final Approval Hearing is scheduled for March 26, 2026 at the San Francisco Courthouse. At this hearing, the judge will review the settlement terms, consider any objections from class members, and decide whether the deal is fair, reasonable, and adequate. If the judge approves the settlement, the claims administrator will begin processing approved claims and distributing payments. If the judge rejects the settlement or requires modifications, the timeline could be extended significantly. One important limitation: even after final approval, do not expect instant payment. Settlement administration takes time.
The claims administrator must review every submission, verify proof of purchase where applicable, calculate individual payouts based on the total number of valid claims, and then cut checks or issue electronic payments. This process can take several months, and in some cases longer if there are appeals or administrative complications. If you filed a claim, patience is required. It is also worth noting that attorney fees and administrative costs come out of the $3 million fund before claimants receive anything. This is standard in class action settlements, but it means the pool of money available for consumer payments will be smaller than $3 million. Court filings typically detail the requested fee amounts, and class members had the right to object to those amounts before the opt-out deadline.
What This Settlement Means for Future ZOA Energy Labeling
Beyond the monetary payments, settlements like this one typically include some form of injunctive relief — meaning the defendant agrees to change its business practices going forward. While the specific labeling changes ZOA Energy may be required to make are detailed in the settlement agreement, the practical effect is that consumers should expect to see revised packaging on ZOA products.
Whether that means removing the “0 Preservatives” claim entirely, adding qualifying language, or reformulating the product to remove citric acid and ascorbic acid remains to be seen. For consumers who care about preservative-free products, this is actually a win regardless of the dollar amount of the claim. A company with the visibility of a Dwayne Johnson-backed brand changing its labeling practices sends a signal to the entire energy drink industry that “preservative free” claims will be scrutinized.
The Bigger Picture for Consumers and Food Labeling Lawsuits
The ZOA Energy settlement is one piece of a much larger puzzle in food and beverage litigation. Courts are seeing an increasing number of cases challenging ingredient and nutrition claims, from “natural flavoring” disputes to lawsuits over the sugar content in products marketed as healthy. For consumers, this trend is generally positive — it pressures companies to be more honest about what is in their products.
For companies, it is a warning that the FDA’s relatively lax enforcement of labeling standards does not protect them from class action liability. Looking ahead, expect more settlements in this space, particularly around energy drinks, protein products, and health-focused beverages where marketing claims tend to be aggressive. If you regularly purchase products based on specific health or ingredient claims, keeping receipts is now more practical advice than ever. The next settlement you qualify for might offer substantially more than $10 without proof of purchase — but only if you can document what you bought.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the ZOA Energy settlement include credit monitoring?
No. This is a false advertising case about product labeling, not a data breach. Credit monitoring is not part of the settlement. The remedy is cash compensation of up to $150 per household with proof of purchase or $10 without.
Who is eligible for the ZOA Energy settlement?
Any U.S. resident who purchased a ZOA Energy drink labeled “0 Preservatives” for personal consumption between March 1, 2021 and November 21, 2025.
How much money can I get from the ZOA Energy settlement?
With proof of purchase such as receipts or bank statements, you can claim $1 per can up to $150 per household. Without proof, the cap is $10 per household.
What was the deadline to file a ZOA Energy settlement claim?
The claims deadline was February 20, 2026. Claims needed to be submitted online at zoasettlement.com or postmarked by mail by that date.
Why was ZOA Energy sued over its “0 Preservatives” claim?
The lawsuit alleged that ZOA Energy drinks contained citric acid and ascorbic acid, both of which can function as preservatives, making the “0 Preservatives” label misleading to consumers.
When will ZOA Energy settlement payments be sent out?
The Final Approval Hearing is scheduled for March 26, 2026. If the judge approves the settlement, payments will be processed and distributed afterward, which typically takes several months.
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