University of California–Davis researchers who tested commercial olive oil in 2010 found that 69 percent of imported “extra-virgin” samples failed to meet international standards. Deoleo USA, the manufacturer of Bertolli olive oil, is accused of being one of the companies and has recently resolved a class action lawsuit paying $7 million and an agreement to change its packaging and testing protocols. In 2014, the company was accused of misrepresenting its products with the label “imported from Italy.” Plaintiffs questioned whether the olive oil was truly virgin. They also asserted that the oil wasn’t from Italy alone, and that the company’s standards for producing and bottling its “extra virgin” olive oil weren’t up to snuff.
If you’re looking to file your claim for the Bertolli Settlement, here some rules to keep in mind. You had to have bought a bottle of Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil between May 23, 2010, and April 16, 2018. Alternatively, you must have purchased Bertolli Classico Olive Oil or Bertolli Extra Light Olive Oil between May 23, 2010, and Dec. 30, 2015. If you have receipts for these purchases, you’re allowed to claim as many bottles as you have documentation for. However, if you don’t have receipts, you can claim up to five bottles of oil.
The settlement is set to take place at an Aug. 9 hearing. Therefore, the settlement is pending until final approval. The deadline to submit a claim is 30 days after final approval.
