Closed
Coppertone Mineral-Based Sunscreen Settlement
The claim window closed on November 17, 2021. The settlement was approved in December 2021, and payments, boosted by a pro rata uplift to about $15.80, arrived in spring 2022.
Case record
- Case
- Prescott, et al. v. Bayer HealthCare LLC, et al.
- Case no.
- 5:20-cv-00102-NC
- Court
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, San Jose Division
- Defendant
- Bayer HealthCare LLC and Beiersdorf, Inc.
- Administrator
- Digital Settlement Group
- Settlement fund
- $2.25 million
The case
What this settlement was about
This class action alleged that three Coppertone sunscreens labeled "Mineral-Based", Water Babies Pure & Simple, Kids Tear Free, and Sport Face, deceived consumers because they contained chemical active ingredients alongside the mineral zinc oxide. The suit claimed violations of California's false advertising and consumer-protection laws, breach of warranty, and unjust enrichment.
Both Bayer and Beiersdorf were named because Bayer sold the Coppertone brand to Beiersdorf in 2019, shortly before the January 2020 filing. The defendants denied the labels were misleading but agreed to a $2.25 million fund.
Notably, the court rejected the first version of this settlement in April 2021; the approved deal came about eight months later with attorneys' fees cut to $681,000. Beyond cash, Coppertone dropped the "Mineral-Based" claim from the three products, and through the end of 2023 any "mineral-based" label on a mixed-ingredient sunscreen had to disclose the chemical active ingredients.
The class
Who was covered
All U.S. retail consumers who purchased, for use and not resale, Coppertone Water Babies Pure & Simple, Kids Tear Free, or Sport Face sunscreen with "mineral-based" on the label on or before September 17, 2021.
- What class members could receive$2.50 per qualifying product, unlimited with proof of purchase, up to 4 products ($10 per household) without. A pro rata uplift of up to 9x applied if claims did not exhaust the fund; actual payouts came in around $15.80.
- Proof requirementMost class members could file without proof of purchase.
- Claim deadlinePassed on Nov 17, 2021. New claims are no longer accepted.
Docket timeline
How the settlement unfolded
- January 3, 2020Class action filed
Filed shortly after Bayer sold the Coppertone brand to Beiersdorf, which is why both companies were named.
- April 2021First settlement rejected
Judge Nathanael Cousins rejected the initial version of the deal.
- September 17, 2021Class period ends
Purchases through this date qualified for the revised settlement.
- November 17, 2021Claim deadline
Claims, exclusions, and objections were all due the same day.
- December 2021Final approval
Approval followed the December 15, 2021 fairness hearing, with attorneys' fees cut to $681,000.
- Spring 2022Payments distributed
Class members reported payments of about $15.80 arriving by May 2022 thanks to the pro rata uplift.
Questions people still ask
Frequently asked questions
Can I still file a Coppertone sunscreen claim?
No. The deadline to file was November 17, 2021, and the settlement was approved in December 2021. Payments were distributed in spring 2022.
How much did the sunscreen settlement pay?
The base rate was $2.50 per qualifying product, capped at $10 per household without receipts. Because claims did not exhaust the fund, a pro rata uplift kicked in and class members reported actual payments of about $15.80.
What was misleading about 'Mineral-Based'?
The lawsuit alleged the three Coppertone products labeled "Mineral-Based" contained chemical sunscreen active ingredients in addition to zinc oxide, deceiving buyers who wanted a purely mineral sunscreen.
Is this the Coppertone benzene settlement?
No. This settlement was about "Mineral-Based" labeling. The separate 2022 Coppertone benzene-contamination settlement (~$2.3 million) was a different case, the two are often confused.
Did the settlement change Coppertone's labels?
Yes. Coppertone dropped the "Mineral-Based" claim from the three products, and through December 31, 2023 any "mineral-based" label on a mixed-ingredient sunscreen had to disclose that the product contained other sunscreen active ingredients.
Sources for this record
Official site mineralbasedsunscreensettlement.com has been retired. Record preserved by TapClaim.
