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A Missouri judge allows a settlement involving a number of hapless “Rita” drinkers and Anheuser-Busch, the company behind Budweiser.
The disgruntled customers say they were tricked into buying the company’s margarita drinks into believing they contain tequila. The drinks manufacturer chose to settle with the customers.
That means anyone without proof of purchase can request compensation for the fraud. The funds range from $9.75 to $21.75 per household. All you have to do is fill in this shape.
Now anyone can claim compensation for the fraud without proof of purchase, just by filling out a form. The funds range from $9.75 to $21.75 per household
The disgruntled customers say they were tricked into buying the company’s margarita drinks into believing they contain tequila. The beverage manufacturer chose to settle with the customers
They also said they were led to “mistakenly believe that the Margarita products contain tequila and the wine products contain wine.”
The lawsuit says they would not have bought the drinks or would have “paid significantly less for them.”
It also referenced the company’s other drinks themed Mojitos, Sangria and Rose. Those drinks “mislead a reasonable consumer into believing that the respective Products contain either tequila, rum or wine.”
The products contain “a combination of misleading images and language, such as ‘sparkling classic cocktails’ with images of cocktail and wine glasses.”
The lawsuit, Browning v Anheuser-Busch, was originally filed in September 2020 in New York’s Southern District.
The company alleged that the company falsely suggested that the canned drinks contained spirits. They do not.
The canned drinks have an alcohol percentage of 8 percent which is much lower than a standard Margarita. The main ingredient in the drink is beer with added fruit flavor.
The plaintiffs, Megan Browning and Alan Kesselring, say they have “never seen a disclaimer as to the actual contents of the products purchased.”
The canned drinks have an alcohol percentage of 8 percent which is much lower than a standard Margarita. The main ingredient in the drink is beer with added fruit flavor
There is a small disclaimer on the cans that reads: ‘Malt drink'[s] With natural flavors and caramel colour.’
On the Anheuser-Busch website, a “Sparkling Margarita” is referred to as a “lime beer.”
According to the recent ruling, the drinks will now be described in the packaging as a ‘malt drink’. There will also be a disclaimer making it clear that there are no spirits in the cans.
The lawsuit was settled in May 2021, with the company maintaining its innocence.
The company’s sole statement on the matter reads: “The parties have reached an agreement to resolve this matter. We don’t have any additional details to share at this time.”
The alcoholic beverage giant launched the Ritas in 2012 in 8-ounce and 25-ounce cans and advertised them with slogans like “classic margarita flavor” and “flavored beers that taste like margaritas, mojitos, or wines.”
There is a small disclaimer on the cans that reads: ‘Malt drink'[s] With natural flavors and caramel colour.’ On the Anheuser-Busch website, a “Sparkling Margarita” is referred to as a “lime beer.” Revelers enjoy the Bud Light Lime “Lime -A – Rita” Cinco de Mayo poolside party on May 5, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada
If you purchased one or more Ritas-branded products for personal use and not for resale, from January 1, 2018 to July 19, 2022, you are included in the settlement and may be eligible for a partial refund of up to $9.75 without proof of purchase, or $21.75 if you have proof of your purchases.
However, to receive payment from the Settlement, you must file a claim. To see a list of the Ritas-branded products or to make a claim, visit RitasSettlement.com.
The deadline for submitting a claim is December 16, 2022. You can also download a paper claim from the website or by calling the phone number below.
If you do not want to be bound by the Settlement, you must exclude yourself before November 11, 2022. If you do not exclude yourself, you can object to the Settlement before November 11, 2022.
The court will hold a final approval hearing on December 2, 2022 to determine whether the settlement should be approved as fair, reasonable and adequate.
This notice is only a brief summary of the lawsuit and your rights. Detailed information about the lawsuit’s claims, the defendants’ response and all of your rights if you are a Class Member is available at www.RitasSettlement.com or by calling the toll-free number 1-888-905-0657.