The ZOA Energy settlement, stemming from the case *Mikhail Gershzon v. ZOA Energy, LLC*, established a $3,000,000 fund to compensate consumers who purchased ZOA Energy drinks that were labeled “0 Preservatives” despite containing citric acid and ascorbic acid — ingredients that can function as preservatives. If you bought any ZOA Energy drink between March 1, 2021, and November 21, 2025, you may have been eligible for up to $150 with proof of purchase or up to $10 without any receipt. The claim deadline, however, has already passed as of February 20, 2026.
The settlement is now moving toward its final stage. The Final Approval Hearing is scheduled for March 26, 2026, at the San Francisco Courthouse, and if the court grants approval without any appeals, payouts could begin arriving by approximately July 2026. For anyone who already filed a claim, the waiting game is on. For those who missed the window,
Table of Contents
- What Is the ZOA Energy Settlement and Who Was Eligible?
- How Much Could Claimants Receive From the $3 Million Fund?
- Key Dates and the Current Timeline for the ZOA Settlement
- What to Do If You Already Filed a Claim
- Why the “0 Preservatives” Claim Was Legally Problematic
- Lessons for Consumers Watching Future Class Action Settlements
- What Comes After the Final Approval Hearing
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the ZOA Energy Settlement and Who Was Eligible?
The lawsuit alleged that zoa Energy, LLC misled consumers by prominently featuring “0 Preservatives” on its energy drink labels. The problem, according to the plaintiffs, was that the drinks contained citric acid and ascorbic acid, both of which can serve as preservatives in food and beverages. While these ingredients are common and generally recognized as safe, the argument was that labeling the product as having zero preservatives was deceptive when those chemicals were present in the formula. Eligibility was straightforward: any U.S.
Resident who purchased a ZOA Energy drink labeled “0 Preservatives” during the class period — March 1, 2021, through November 21, 2025 — qualified for compensation, provided the purchase was for personal consumption. If you bought cases of ZOA to resell at your convenience store or distribute through a vending business, you were excluded. The settlement was designed strictly for everyday consumers who grabbed a can off the shelf for themselves. That distinction matters in class action settlements more often than people realize — commercial purchasers are almost always carved out.
How Much Could Claimants Receive From the $3 Million Fund?
The payout structure gave claimants two tiers depending on whether they could document their purchases. Without any proof of purchase, class members could claim up to $10, calculated at $1 per can for up to 10 cans. With receipts, bank statements, or other documentation showing purchases, the cap jumped to $150 — $1 per can for up to 150 cans. That means someone who regularly bought ZOA and kept even partial records of their purchases stood to receive significantly more than someone filing on memory alone. However, these are maximum amounts, not potential payouts.
If the total value of all valid claims exceeds the $3 million fund after attorney fees, administrative costs, and any service award to the named plaintiff are deducted, individual payments will be reduced proportionally. This is standard in consumer class actions — the more people who file, the smaller each check becomes. If you filed a claim for $10 without a receipt, the actual amount you receive could end up being less depending on participation rates. Conversely, if relatively few people filed claims, payouts could hit their full amounts. The final numbers will not be clear until after the approval hearing and the claims administrator completes its review.
Key Dates and the Current Timeline for the ZOA Settlement
Several critical deadlines have already come and gone. The opt-out and objection deadline was February 13, 2026 — anyone who wanted to exclude themselves from the settlement class or formally object to the terms needed to have their paperwork postmarked by that date. The claim filing deadline followed a week later on February 20, 2026, meaning all claims had to be submitted online through www.ZOASettlement.com or mailed with a postmark no later than that date. The next major milestone is the Final Approval Hearing on March 26, 2026, at the San Francisco Courthouse.
At that hearing, the judge will review the settlement terms, consider any objections that were filed, and decide whether to grant final approval. Assuming the court approves the deal and no appeals are filed, the settlement administrator has indicated that payments should go out within 90 days of final approval. That puts the expected payout window at roughly July 2026. If someone does appeal the settlement, though, the entire payment timeline could be delayed by months or even longer — appeals in class action cases are not uncommon, and they can stall distribution indefinitely until resolved.
What to Do If You Already Filed a Claim
If you submitted your claim before the February 20 deadline, the most practical step now is to wait and keep an eye on the official settlement website at www.ZOASettlement.com for updates. The site should post information about whether the court granted final approval after the March 26 hearing. Make sure the mailing address or email you provided on your claim form is still current — if you move or change email addresses before payments go out, your check or digital payment could be lost or delayed. There is a meaningful difference between claimants who submitted documentation and those who did not.
If you filed with proof of purchase for, say, 50 cans and a neighbor filed without proof for the base $10, your payout will be proportionally larger from the settlement fund. But both claims carry risk of pro-rata reduction. The tradeoff for filing with documentation was the effort of digging up old receipts versus the potential for a significantly higher payout. For future settlements, this is worth remembering: even partial proof — a handful of receipts, a credit card statement showing a purchase at a gas station where you regularly bought ZOA — can meaningfully increase your recovery.
Why the “0 Preservatives” Claim Was Legally Problematic
The core issue in *Gershzon v. ZOA Energy, LLC* was not whether citric acid and ascorbic acid are harmful. They are widely used food additives that most consumers encounter daily. The legal problem was the gap between the marketing claim and the product’s actual composition. When a label says “0 Preservatives,” a reasonable consumer takes that at face value. If the product contains ingredients that the FDA and food science community recognize as having preservative functions, the label creates a misleading impression — even if those ingredients were included for flavor or nutritional reasons rather than preservation.
This is an important limitation to understand: ZOA Energy did not admit wrongdoing by settling. The company may well argue that citric acid was added as a flavoring agent and ascorbic acid as a source of Vitamin C, not as preservatives. Settling a lawsuit is often a business calculation, not a concession. But for consumers, the takeaway is that “zero” claims on food and beverage labels are increasingly being scrutinized by plaintiffs’ attorneys. If a product says “0 sugar,” “0 artificial ingredients,” or “0 preservatives,” and the ingredient list tells a more complicated story, that disconnect can become the basis for litigation. Similar lawsuits have targeted other beverage and food companies over labeling discrepancies.
Lessons for Consumers Watching Future Class Action Settlements
The ZOA Energy settlement illustrates a pattern worth noting for anyone who wants to stay on top of these opportunities. Consumer class actions involving food and beverage labeling have become increasingly common, and settlements in the $1 million to $5 million range are fairly typical for cases involving misleading packaging claims. The payout-per-person tends to be modest — often $5 to $25 without proof of purchase — but for products you already bought and consumed, filing a claim takes only a few minutes.
The biggest mistake consumers make is hearing about a settlement after the claim deadline has passed. In this case, the window between public notice and the February 20, 2026 deadline was relatively tight. Checking the official settlement website early, bookmarking it, and setting a calendar reminder for the deadline are simple habits that can make the difference between collecting a payment and missing out entirely.
What Comes After the Final Approval Hearing
All eyes in this case now turn to March 26, 2026. If the judge at the San Francisco Courthouse approves the settlement without modification, the claims administrator will begin processing payments and distributing funds. The 90-day window after approval means most claimants should expect their payments by mid-to-late July 2026, assuming no legal obstacles arise.
If the settlement is not approved or if it faces an appeal from an objector, the process could drag on considerably. In a worst-case scenario, the parties might need to renegotiate terms or proceed to trial. For the majority of class members who filed straightforward claims, though, the most likely outcome is a quiet approval followed by a check or electronic payment sometime in the summer of 2026. The official settlement site at www.ZOASettlement.com remains the best source for real-time updates on the case’s progress.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still file a claim for the ZOA Energy settlement?
No. The claim deadline was February 20, 2026, and has already passed. Late claims are generally not accepted in class action settlements unless the court orders otherwise, which is rare.
How much will I receive if I filed a claim without a receipt?
The maximum without proof of purchase is $10, based on $1 per can for up to 10 cans. However, the actual amount may be less if total claims exceed the available fund after fees and costs are deducted.
When will settlement payments be sent out?
If the court grants final approval at the March 26, 2026 hearing and no appeals are filed, payments are expected within 90 days — approximately July 2026.
Did ZOA Energy admit that its labeling was false?
No. As is typical in class action settlements, ZOA Energy did not admit any wrongdoing. The settlement was a resolution of the dispute, not a finding of liability.
What products were covered by this settlement?
Any ZOA Energy drink that carried the “0 Preservatives” label and was purchased in the United States between March 1, 2021, and November 21, 2025, for personal consumption.
Where can I check the status of my claim?
Visit the official settlement website at www.ZOASettlement.com for the latest updates on the case, including information about the Final Approval Hearing and payment timeline.
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