It’s been more than two years since a long list of Silk and Great Value plant-based drinks were pulled from grocery store shelves across Canada. If you had one of those cartons in your fridge back then, you might have some money coming your way.
But you don’t have much time left to get it.
Canadians who bought or drank one of the recalled products have until this Friday, October 16, to file a claim as part of a $7.5 million class action settlement. Once the deadline passes, the claims period closes for good.
Why there’s a settlement
In July 2024, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled dozens of Silk and Great Value almond, oat and coconut beverages sold across the country, including at Walmart.
The products were linked to a listeria outbreak that killed three people. Around 20 people became seriously ill, and roughly 15 were hospitalized.
A class action was later filed in Montreal against Danone Canada, which makes Silk, as well as Walmart Canada and Intact Insurance. The companies deny the allegations but agreed to settle, and the Superior Court of Quebec approved the deal back in April.
Who’s eligible
The settlement covers anyone in Canada who bought or drank one of the products included in the recall.
If you got sick after drinking one, you could qualify for a payment based on how serious your illness was. And if you bought one of the products but didn’t get sick, you can still apply for a refund through Danone Canada’s voluntary refund program, which also ends on October 16.
The only catch is that you can’t claim compensation if Danone Canada already paid you for the same illness.
How much money you could get
Payments are set out in a compensation grid with six levels, depending on the severity of your symptoms:
- Level I: $400 for symptoms that lasted up to 48 hours
- Level II: $1,500 for symptoms that lasted between 48 hours and a week
- Level III: $7,000 for symptoms lasting more than a week that didn’t require a hospital stay
- Level IV: Up to $30,000 for a hospital stay with no lasting complications
- Level V: Up to $150,000 for a hospital stay with serious complications or permanent effects
- Level VI: Up to $300,000 in the case of death
At the more serious levels, family members who lived with the person who got sick may also be eligible for extra money.
Keep in mind that the total fund is capped at $7.5 million, so final payments could be adjusted depending on how many people file.
How to make a claim
The easiest way to apply is online through the official settlement website, which also has the claim form, compensation grid and full list of products.
You won’t necessarily need a receipt. For most claims, proof of purchase, the original packaging or a signed statement saying you bought and drank the product should do the trick. If you’re claiming at one of the higher levels, you’ll need medical or pharmacy records to back it up.
The deadline to submit your claim is Friday, October 16, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time. In Montreal, that works out to 2:59 a.m. on Saturday, but it’s best not to leave it to the last minute.
If you have questions, you can contact the claims administrator, Concilia Services, at 1-888-367-7705.
The recalled products
Here are the drinks that were included in the 2024 recall:
- Silk Almond Original, Vanilla, Unsweetened, Unsweetened Vanilla and Dark Chocolate
- Silk Almond & Coconut Unsweetened
- Silk Coconut Original and Unsweetened
- Silk Oat Original, Vanilla, Unsweetened, Unsweetened Vanilla and Dark Chocolate
- Silk Almond & Cashew Unsweetened and Unsweetened Vanilla
- Great Value Almond Beverage Original, Vanilla and Unsweetened Original
For the full list of UPCs and best-before dates, check the CFIA’s original recall notice.
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