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Consumers who purchased Cottonelle, Scott, Huggies Pull-Ups, Poise or Kotex-branded flushable wipes in the United States between Feb. 21, 2008, and May 19, 2022, are one step closer to receiving payments of $7 to $50.60 from a class action settlement.
A judge approved a renewed motion for final approval of the $20 million Kimberly-Clark flushable wipes false advertising class action settlement. The plaintiffs originally filed the class action lawsuit in 2014 and, after several years of litigation, reached a settlement in 2022.
After the claim deadline, the settlement administrator reported that approved claims totaled less than $1 million. According to the settlement agreement, Kimberly-Clark would pay up to $20 million in claims with any remaining funds reverting back to the defendant. In his case, $19 million dollars will revert back to Kimberly-Clark.
The district court initially granted final approval of the settlement on Jan. 17, 2024, reducing attorneys' fees to $3.17 million plus expenses. On Feb. 16, 2024, an objector filed an appeal to the final approval of the settlement, arguing that with only $1 million in approved claims, the settlement disproportionately benefited class counsel over class members.
On July 1, 2025, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the final approval and instructed the court to further review the fairness of the settlement. Counsel filed a renewed motion for final approval on Aug. 22, 2025, with the judge granting approval on March 12, 2026.
Who are the class members?
Class members needed to meet the following criteria:
- They are age 18 or older.
- They purchased any Kimberly-Clark flushable wipes product sold under the Cottonelle, Scott, Huggies Pull-Ups, Poise or Kotex brands.
- They made the purchase in the United States between Feb. 21, 2008, and May 19, 2022.
- They purchased the flushable wipes for personal use and not for resale.
How much will the settlement payments be?
Class members had the following claim options:
- Without proof of purchase: Class members could claim $0.70 per package and up to 10 packages for a maximum cash payment of $7 per household with no proof of purchase.
- With proof of purchase: Class members could claim $1.10 per package and up to 46 packages for a maximum cash payment of $50.60 per household with proof of purchase.
Claim deadline
To be eligible for a settlement payment, class members needed to file a claim online or print the PDF claim form to complete and mail to the settlement administrator by Aug. 16, 2022. The settlement permitted only one claim per household.
Required proof and claim information
- All claims required the number of packages purchased during the class period, the store name and the state the store was located in.
- Proof-of-purchase claims required itemized receipts showing the date and location of purchase, product name and amount paid or the actual label or barcode of each package purchased during the class period.
Payout options
- Electronic payment
- Paper check
Settlement fund breakdown
- Settlement administration costs: To be determined
- Attorneys' fees: $3,169,335.02
- Attorneys' expenses: $138,331.23
- Service awards to class representatives: $15,000 total
- Payments to approved claimants: $993,958.70
Important dates
- Deadline to file a claim: Aug. 16, 2022
- Deadline to opt out: Aug. 17, 2022
- Final approval hearing date: Sept. 7, 2022
- Final approval granted: Jan. 17, 2024
- Settlement vacated on appeal: July 1, 2025
- Renewed final approval granted: March 12, 2026
When is the flushable wipes settlement payout date?
The settlement administrator will issue payments to approved claimants approximately 90 days after the court resolves any further appeals to the settlement.
Why is there a class action settlement?
The class action lawsuits alleged Kimberly-Clark misleadingly labeled and marketed certain wipes as flushable and safe for plumbing and septic systems they created plumbing issues for consumers. The plaintiffs claimed the company’s labeling and advertising resulted in consumers paying a price premium for the products.
Kimberly-Clark denied any wrongdoing but agreed to settle to avoid the expense and risks involved in continued litigation and a possible trial.
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