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Cases / Law, regulation and treaties · United States · 2022–2024

US regulator said Keurig did not disclose recycler doubts about pod recycling

Short record: the main facts, with sources. A full case file has not been prepared.

Nature's voice · report
No measurement of the harm done to me here is on record.
Did nature suffer? Not measured.
Not on record
  • The record does not name which of my species, waters, soils or forests were harmed.
What the record lacks: 1 not disclosed · 2 insufficient · 1 not measured · 1 disputed See the gaps

The US Securities and Exchange Commission set a USD 1.5 million penalty against Keurig Dr Pepper in 2024, saying the company had not disclosed recycler doubts about its pod recycling claim. Keurig Canada had earlier agreed to a CAD 3 million penalty over recyclable-pod claims.

What?
Keurig faced a CAD 3 million Canadian penalty over recyclable-pod claims in 2022 and a USD 1.5 million SEC penalty in 2024 for not disclosing recycler doubts. Competition Bureau Canada
Where?
Canada and the United States. Competition Bureau Canada
When?
Canadian settlement in January 2022; SEC penalty in September 2024. Competition Bureau Canada
Who?
Gained
None on record
Lost
None on record
Harmed
None on record
Why?
Not stated in the sources reviewed.
How?
A Canadian settlement over recyclable-pod claims; an SEC finding that the company did not disclose recycler doubts in its annual reports.
5 of 6 questions answered from the record · open: who

What happened

The record, in order.

The Canadian Competition Bureau reported in January 2022 that Keurig Canada agreed to pay a CAD 3 million penalty to settle concerns over coffee pod recycling claims.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission said in September 2024 that Keurig Dr Pepper had not disclosed in its annual reports that two large recycling companies had doubts about the pods' recycling claim, and set a USD 1.5 million penalty.

    In court and with insurers

    Every proceeding and every insurer decision on record.

    Lawsuits and rulings

    No court case on record. No court has ruled on this case.

    Insurers

    No insurer decision on record.

    What we don't know

    Undisclosed, unproven, untried: recorded as data.

    Nature

    • Not measured Harm to nature: The record holds no measurement of harm to nature.

    Record

    • Insufficient Reported but not verified: a USD 10 million US class action settlement, given final approval in 2023.
    • Insufficient Reported but not verified: the Canadian settlement included a CAD 0.8 million donation and a CAD 85,000 payment; the sources reviewed do not detail them.
    • Not disclosed The sources reviewed do not name the two recycling companies whose doubts were not disclosed.
    • Disputed The sources reviewed do not say whether the SEC penalty was paid or contested.

    Did the harm stop?

    Not stated in the sources reviewed.

    Who paid?

    Not stated in the sources reviewed.

    Sources

    Voices on record: — Company or project— Government and regulators— Courts✓ Press and investigations— Communities and civil society— Researchers

    Press and investigations

    1. Keurig Canada to pay 3 million penalty
      Competition Bureau Canada · 2022-01-06

    Connected cases

    Related matters, and cases linked to this one through the same organisations, with the role each played in both.

    Institutions

    SEC
    The US Securities and Exchange Commission, which regulates securities markets and what companies tell investors.

    Law and courts

    Class action
    A single lawsuit brought on behalf of a large group of people with similar claims.