Red Bull gives you the jitters, and a class action settlement
By RYAN GORMAN
The makers of Red Bull owe fans of the energy drink a lot of money.
A class action settlement announced Wednesday means that anyone who has bought even one can of the mysterious potion since 2002 is eligible for a payout.
The Austrian company has agreed to pay more than $13 million to consumers over claims it misled the public through advertising that "Red Bull gives you wings."
About half of that sum will be placed into an escrow account within seven days, according to beverage trade publication BevNet. The remainder will be paid at a still-undetermined date.
The settlement was agreed to after a consumer sued over claims the energy drink made regarding taurine and guarana.
Assertions of increased performance, concentration and reaction speed were argued in the suit to be false. It was also claimed the brand's vast online, print, television and radio ad campaign was a blatant lie.
"Such deceptive conduct and practices mean that [Red Bull's] advertising and marketing is not just 'puffery,' but is instead deceptive and fraudulent and is therefore actionable," said the suit.
Each person making claims against the settlement is entitled to a cool $10 or $15 worth of Red Bull products.
No proof of purchase is necessary to get in on the action. Click here to claim your share of the caffeine-addled pie.
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