Dr. Squatch Natural Products Settlement — File a Claim

Dr. Squatch, LLC makes and sells personal-care products such as bar soap, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, toothpaste, beard oil, body wash, and related grooming products. Consumers buy the products through the company's website and retail stores. The settlement concerns products whose labeling used the word "natural"—a central part of how Dr. Squatch describes and markets its personal-care line.

Six consumers—Victor Guzman, Perry Bruno, Lauren Fleming, David Plowden, Karen Betzag, and Jaime Napolitano—filed a proposed class action in Los Angeles County Superior Court. As the named plaintiffs and proposed class representatives, they brought claims for their own purchases and sought to represent other buyers with similar claims. Their complaint alleges that Dr. Squatch labeled covered products as natural even though, in the plaintiffs' view, the products contained ingredients they considered synthetic. Those statements are allegations, not established findings.

Dr. Squatch denies the allegations and denies wrongdoing or liability. The company maintains that the covered products were properly labeled as natural and denies making material misrepresentations about the products or their ingredients. The court has not decided whether the plaintiffs or Dr. Squatch would win at trial. Instead, the parties negotiated a proposed $9 million settlement after exchanging information and participating in mediation.

The court granted preliminary approval for settlement purposes, conditionally certified the settlement class, approved the notice and claim procedures, and appointed EisnerAmper LLP as settlement administrator. Preliminary approval means the judge found the proposal sufficiently reasonable to notify the class and consider it further; it is not a final ruling that the settlement is fair, that Dr. Squatch violated the law, or that any buyer suffered a particular loss. A final approval hearing is scheduled for March 2, 2027.

The settlement generally covers people who purchased a Dr. Squatch product labeled "natural" in the United States from November 1, 2018 through August 29, 2026. A claimant may request $0.50 per covered product for up to five products without purchase proof and up to 20 products with qualifying proof. The two quantities may be combined, allowing a claim for as many as 25 products under the stated caps. The per-product amount may increase or decrease on a pro rata basis depending on valid claims and the money available after court-approved deductions. Claims must be submitted online or postmarked by November 27, 2026.

The settlement uses a per-product formula rather than a refund of each product's purchase price. A valid claimant may request $0.50 for each covered product, subject to separate limits for purchases with and without proof. The official claim form allows up to five products without proof of purchase and up to 20 products supported by qualifying proof of purchase.

The two portions are cumulative. For example, the settlement agreement states that a claimant with 20 supported products and five unsupported products may claim 25 products, initially calculated at $12.50. That example illustrates the formula; it does not guarantee a $12.50 final payment. Each household may submit only one claim, and the administrator may audit, verify, reduce, reject, or request more information about a submission under the settlement terms.

"Proof of purchase" means a receipt from a third-party physical or online retailer that reasonably shows the product and purchase date during the class period in the United States. The claim form warns that failing to include required proof will reduce the proof-supported portion of the claim. A claimant may still use the no-proof path for up to five covered products, subject to the household limit and the administrator's review.

The initial rate is subject to pro rata adjustment. "Pro rata" means proportionally. If approved claims and court-authorized deductions exceed the amount available for class benefits, the per-product payment may be reduced proportionally. If less money is claimed than remains available under the agreement, the benefit may be increased proportionally. The settlement therefore does not promise that every claimant will receive exactly $0.50 per product.

The $9 million gross fund is not reserved entirely for claim payments. Under the proposed agreement, it may also fund court-approved attorneys' fees of up to one-third of the settlement fund, notice and administration costs estimated in the notice at $475,000, and service awards for the six named plaintiffs of up to $40,000 total. Class counsel may also seek litigation costs up to $50,000 under the stated terms. The court has not finally approved those requests.

No benefits are available immediately. Payments depend on final approval, the settlement becoming effective, resolution of any appeals, and the administrator's processing of valid claims. The official notice says there is no guarantee that money or benefits will ever be distributed.