Tropicana Settles Class-Action Suit

Tropicana Beverages Inc. (Bradenton, FL) will send $1.15 million worth of 50-cent coupons to customers who bought apple juice products that the juice maker had failed to label as being artificially sweetened.

Tropicana, now owned by PepsiCo Inc., settled a class-action lawsuit last week. Company officials said they didn't know some of the drinks were adulterated with sweeteners such as high-fructose corn syrup.

Problems with the Bradenton company's suppliers caused some apple-flavored juices to have sweeteners while others didn't, said Martin D. Chitwood, a partner in the Atlanta law firm that filed the suit.

Tropicana sold the juices with incorrect labeling between March 1990 and September 1997, a settlement order stated.

Using tracking data showing where the juices were sold, Tropicana will distribute 50-cent coupons for cranberry/apple and apple/berry/pear drinks. Tropicana also will pay $325,000 in legal fees.