ZOA Energy settlement payments are arriving. Claimants in the $3 million “0 Preservatives” settlement report being paid in October 2026, including payments of $20.45 and payments on prepaid cards, after a court filing said the rate would rise to at least $2.00 per can, double the $1.00 per can in the settlement. Claims closed February 20, 2026, so only approved claims already on file are being paid.
Claimants report that ZOA Energy settlement payments have started to arrive. One claimant reported receiving $20.45, another reported receiving a prepaid card, and a third referred to Zelle as one of the payout options offered when claims were filed.
A court filing states that payments were increased pro rata to at least $2.00 per can, double the $1.00 per can in the settlement. As of October 16, 2026, the official settlement website had not posted a payment announcement, and Open Class Actions has not confirmed the distribution date or the payment methods with the administrator, Kroll Settlement Administration. This page will be updated as the administrator posts official information.
Looking for the settlement terms? This page is only about the payments now going out. Eligibility, the per-household caps and the case background are on the main page: ZOA Energy “0 Preservatives” settlement →
Current Status
Claimants in Gershzon v. ZOA Energy, LLC, the class action over “0 Preservatives” labels on ZOA Energy drinks, are reporting that settlement payments have arrived. U.S. District Judge James Donato of the Northern District of California entered the final approval order and judgment on August 19, 2026, and the 30-day appeal period that follows a judgment ran out in mid-September, which is the point at which settlements like this one typically begin paying. The reports so far fit that timeline. Payments in a distribution usually go out in batches, so a claimant who has not been paid yet is not necessarily missing a payment.Free settlement alerts
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How Much the ZOA Settlement Payment Is
A ZOA Energy settlement payment equals the number of cans on the approved claim multiplied by the final per-can rate. The settlement started that rate at $1.00 per can, with a cap of $10 per household for claims without a receipt and $150 per household for claims with one. A court filing describes the final rate as at least $2.00 per can, and the exact figure depends on the net fund left after the court’s rulings on fees, costs and the service award, divided across every approved claim.The $20.45 that a claimant reported fits that math. It is what a claim for 10 cans, the most a claim without a receipt could cover, would pay at about $2.045 per can. Open Class Actions has not confirmed the final per-can rate with the administrator, so $20.45 is one claimant’s report rather than an official figure.
| Claim | Original Rate ($1/can) | At Reported Rate (~$2.045/can) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 cans, no receipt | $5.00 | About $10.23 |
| 10 cans, no receipt (maximum) | $10.00 | About $20.45 |
| Claim with receipts | Up to $150 | Larger, depending on cans documented |
Why the ZOA Payments Were Doubled
The amended settlement agreement included an adjustment in both directions: if approved claims added up to more than the money available, payments would be cut pro rata, and if they added up to less, payments would be raised pro rata. The second case is what happened. A filing on the court docket quotes Section 4.5 of the amended settlement agreement, which says that if “the total value of all Approved Claims is less than the funds available,” after administration costs, attorneys’ fees and costs and the service award, “the amounts of the Settlement Payments per claim will be increased on a pro rata basis.” The filing then states that, subject to the court’s rulings on those costs, fees and the service award, class members “will receive a pro rata increase of at least a 2 times multiplier on their claims (i.e., $2.00 per unit instead of $1.00 per unit contemplated by the Amended Settlement Agreement).”How ZOA Settlement Payments Are Being Sent: Prepaid Card, Zelle or Check
The administrator has not publicly announced which payment methods it is using for this distribution. In a public social media thread about the $20.45 payments, one claimant said they received a prepaid card, and another referred to Zelle as one of the payout options offered when claims were filed. Another asked whether PayPal had been an option; Open Class Actions has not confirmed whether it was. In settlements administered this way, the method a claimant receives generally follows the choice made on the claim form, and a claimant who made no choice is usually sent the default method the administrator set.Prepaid card. A virtual prepaid card usually arrives as an email with a link to claim and activate it, and a physical card arrives by mail. Prepaid settlement cards commonly carry their own expiration date and terms, so the card’s terms are worth reading as soon as it arrives. Activation errors are common with these cards; the guide to a prepaid settlement card that will not register covers what the usual error messages mean.
Zelle or another digital payment. A digital payment is sent to the email address or phone number entered on the claim form. If that contact information was mistyped, or no longer works, the payment may not land. The guide to a digital settlement payment that has not shown up explains how these transfers are usually traced.
Paper check. A check goes to the mailing address on file. The settlement’s 180-day redemption window applies, and the steps for depositing a settlement check are in the guide to cashing a class action settlement check.
What to Check Now, in Order
1. Search the inbox used on the claim. Electronic payments and prepaid-card links go to the email address entered on the claim form. Searching that inbox, including the spam, junk and promotions folders, for “ZOA,” “Kroll” and “settlement” is the fastest way to find one.2. Verify the message before clicking. A payment email can be checked against the official settlement website before any link in it is opened. A real settlement payment never requires a fee to release it, never needs a bank login or online banking password, and never asks for a full Social Security number by email. The five-minute check is in the guide to whether a settlement email is real.
3. Activate or deposit promptly. Under the settlement, a payment not redeemed within 180 days after it is issued is no longer payable to the class member. A prepaid card may also carry a shorter expiration of its own, printed in its terms.
4. Confirm the mailing address on file. For a check or a physical card, the address on file is where it goes. The administrator, not Open Class Actions, holds that record, and the official settlement website is the place to reach it.
5. Allow for batches before writing in. One claimant’s payment does not mean every payment has been sent. A claimant who filed on time and has heard nothing after the batches appear to be finished can contact the administrator through the official settlement website, with the claim ID and the name and email used on the claim. The broader version of these checks is in the guide to where a settlement payment is.
What the Administrator Will and Will Not Ask For
The administrator may ask a claimant to confirm a claim ID, a name or the email address used on the claim, or to update a mailing address, and that request comes through the official channel. It will never need a bank login, a full Social Security number by email, a payment of any kind or a gift card to release a settlement payment. A “settlement recovery” service that offers to chase a payment for a fee adds nothing; reissues and address updates through the administrator are free. Open Class Actions does not reprint the administrator’s contact details, because a number or address copied from anywhere other than the official ZOA settlement website is how people end up talking to an impostor.What Happens to Uncashed ZOA Payments
Payments that are not redeemed within 180 days after they are issued, such as a check that is never cashed or a card that is never claimed, are no longer payable to the class member. That money, and anything else left in the fund, goes to the Clean Label Project, the nonprofit named to receive leftover funds as a cy pres donation. The settlement does not call for a second distribution.What the Case Was About
The lawsuit claimed that the “0 Preservatives” statement on ZOA Energy drink labels was misleading because the drinks contain citric and ascorbic acids. ZOA Energy, the energy drink brand co-founded by Dwayne Johnson, denied the allegations and maintained that its labeling was truthful, accurate and compliant with the law. The court did not rule in favor of either side; the parties settled to avoid the cost and risk of continuing the case. The class covered U.S. residents who bought a ZOA Energy drink labeled “0 Preservatives” for personal use between March 1, 2021 and November 21, 2025.Frequently Asked Questions
Are ZOA Energy settlement payments going out?
Claimants report being paid in October 2026, including payments of $20.45 and payments on prepaid cards. The court entered final approval and judgment on August 19, 2026. As of October 16, 2026, the official settlement website had not posted a payment announcement, and Open Class Actions has not confirmed a distribution date with the administrator, Kroll Settlement Administration.
How much is the ZOA Energy settlement payment?
The payment is the number of cans on the approved claim multiplied by the final per-can rate, which a court filing describes as at least $2.00. Claims without a receipt were capped at 10 cans, so about $20 at that rate, and claimants report receiving $20.45. Claims with receipts were capped at $150 per household before the increase, so those payments can be larger.
Was the ZOA Energy settlement payment increased?
Yes, according to a court filing in the case. The amended settlement agreement says payments increase pro rata when approved claims total less than the money left after fees and costs. The filing states that class members would receive a pro rata increase of at least a 2 times multiplier, or $2.00 per can instead of the $1.00 per can in the agreement, subject to the court's rulings on fees, costs and the service award.
Why are people getting $20.45 from the ZOA settlement?
Open Class Actions has not confirmed the per-can rate with the administrator. The figure is consistent with a claim for 10 cans, the most a claim without a receipt could cover, paid at about $2.045 per can, which would match the doubled rate described in the court filing.
Is the ZOA settlement paying by prepaid card, Zelle or PayPal?
The administrator has not posted a list of payment methods. In a public social media thread, one claimant reported receiving a prepaid card, and another mentioned Zelle as a payout option offered on the claim form. Open Class Actions has not confirmed whether PayPal or any other method was offered. The method a claimant receives generally follows the choice made on the claim form, so a claimant who chose an electronic option can check the email address used on the claim, including the spam folder.
What if my ZOA settlement payment has not arrived?
Distributions usually go out in batches, so one claimant's report of being paid does not mean every payment has been sent. A claimant can check the claim email inbox and spam folder, confirm the mailing address on file is current, and confirm the claim was approved. The administrator holds those records and is reached through the official settlement website; Open Class Actions cannot look up a claim.
Can I still file a ZOA Energy settlement claim?
No. The claim deadline was February 20, 2026. Only people whose claims were filed on time and approved are part of the distribution.
What happens to uncashed ZOA settlement payments?
Under the settlement, payments not redeemed within 180 days after they are issued, such as uncashed checks, are no longer payable to the class member. That money, and anything left in the fund, goes to the Clean Label Project as a cy pres donation.
Sources
- Docket, Gershzon v. ZOA Energy, LLC, No. 3:23-cv-05444-JD, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California: final approval order and judgment entered August 19, 2026.
- Court filing in Gershzon v. ZOA Energy, LLC quoting Section 4.5 of the Amended Class Action Settlement Agreement and describing a pro rata increase of at least a 2 times multiplier.
- Official ZOA Energy settlement website, settlement terms, payment caps and unredeemed-payment rules (checked October 16, 2026).
- Claimant reports of payments received, including a $20.45 payment, a prepaid card and Zelle as a claim-form payout option, in a public social media thread, October 2026.
