Refrigerated plant-based beverage cartons on a grocery store shelf, illustrating the Silk and Great Value recall settlement

$7.5M Silk and Great Value Recall Settlement: Who Can Actually Claim Before October 16, 2026

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A Canada-wide class action settlement of $7,500,000 over the July 2024 recall of Silk Canada and Great Value plant-based beverages is now accepting claims. The Superior Court of Quebec approved the settlement on April 17, 2026, the claim period opened on June 19, 2026, and the window closes on October 16, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. PST.

There is one detail most coverage gets wrong, and it decides whether filing is worth your time: the court-approved compensation grid pays out based on illness, not on purchase. If you bought a recalled carton and never got sick, the grid is not your route — a separate refund program is. This post walks through both, with the actual tier amounts, the proof each tier requires, and worked examples.

Key facts at a glance

Settlement amount $7,500,000 CAD (before health insurer claims, legal fees and administration costs)
Court Superior Court of Quebec, file no. 500-06-001321-245
Approved April 17, 2026
Claim period opened June 19, 2026
Claim deadline October 16, 2026, 11:59 p.m. PST
Compensation range $400 to $300,000 depending on tier
Claims administrator Concilia Services Inc. — 1-888-367-7705
Official website plantbeverages-settlement.com
Defendants Danone Canada, Walmart Canada Corp. and Intact Insurance Company — all deny wrongdoing
Cost to file Free

What this guide covers

Why there is a settlement

On July 8, 2024, Danone Canada initiated a national recall of refrigerated plant-based beverages sold under the Silk and Great Value brands. The products had been linked to an outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes.

The Public Health Agency of Canada published its final outbreak notice on October 11, 2024. PHAC reported 20 laboratory-confirmed cases connected to the outbreak, including 15 hospitalizations and three deaths, with illness onset dates running from August 2023 to mid-July 2024.

Montreal firm LPC Avocats filed a class action alleging the recalled beverages — manufactured by Joriki Inc. and sold by Danone Canada and Walmart Canada — posed a safety risk, and that the recall was managed negligently. Danone Canada and Walmart Canada deny all allegations and any liability. The settlement resolves the claims without any admission of wrongdoing.

Who is in the class

The class is broad. It covers all persons in Canada who purchased or ingested the Silk Canada or Great Value products subject to the July 8, 2024 recall, including anyone who suffered physical or psychological harm as a result, plus their successors, assigns, family members and dependants.

Being in the class is not the same as qualifying for a payment. To receive money from the compensation grid, the claims administrator must be satisfied that:

  1. The claim relates to someone who ingested a recalled product in Canada;
  2. That person experienced an illness;
  3. The product was consumed at a time consistent with the illness, as set out in the grid; and
  4. That person has not already been compensated by Danone Canada for the same illness.

The grid also sets a timing window for symptoms: they must have begun at least 48 hours after consuming a recalled product, and no more than 70 days after. Symptoms outside that window do not fit the grid’s definition.

“Illness” here includes psychological harm — specifically a new diagnosis of a medically recognized psychological disorder following consumption, with symptoms more acute than upset, disgust, anxiety, insomnia or agitation.

The full list of recalled products

Eighteen SKUs are covered. All are 1.75 L or 1.89 L refrigerated cartons. The recall applies to units where the product code contains 7825 and the best-before date falls on or before the date shown.

Brand Product Size Best before on or before
Great Value Almond Beverage Unsweetened Original 1.89 L 24 OC 04
Great Value Almond Beverage Original 1.89 L 24 OC 04
Great Value Almond Beverage Vanilla 1.89 L 24 OC 04
Silk Almond & Coconut Unsweetened 1.89 L 24 OC 04
Silk Almond Original 1.89 L 24 OC 04
Silk Almond Dark Chocolate 1.89 L 24 OC 04
Silk Almond Unsweetened 1.89 L 24 OC 04
Silk Almond Unsweetened Vanilla 1.89 L 24 OC 04
Silk Almond Vanilla 1.89 L 24 OC 04
Silk Coconut Original 1.89 L 24 OC 04
Silk Coconut Unsweetened 1.89 L 24 SE 27
Silk Oat Original 1.75 L 24 OC 04
Silk Oat Vanilla 1.75 L 24 OC 04
Silk Oat Dark Chocolate 1.75 L 24 OC 04
Silk Oat Unsweetened 1.75 L 24 OC 04
Silk Oat Unsweetened Vanilla 1.75 L 24 OC 04
Silk Almond & Cashew Unsweetened 1.75 L 24 OC 04
Silk Almond & Cashew Unsweetened Vanilla 1.75 L 24 OC 04

The full list with UPC codes is published on the settlement website under Documents. If you no longer have the carton, that alone does not disqualify you — see the proof section below.

Compensation grid: all six tiers

The court-approved grid sorts claims into six tiers by illness severity. Tiers I and II can be supported by a sworn declaration. Tier III and above require contemporaneous medical records.

Tier Situation Payment Proof required
I Symptoms lasting up to 48 hours $400 Declaration of purchase and consumption; proof of purchase or packaging if you have it
II Symptoms lasting more than 48 hours, up to one week $1,500 Same as Tier I
III Symptoms lasting more than one week, no hospitalization $7,000 Declaration plus contemporaneous medical records
IV More than one week and hospitalized, without complications or permanent symptoms $10,000, plus $900 per day of hospitalization, plus documented special damages — capped at $30,000 Declaration plus medical records showing diagnosis and days hospitalized
V Hospitalized with severe complications and/or permanent symptoms $30,000, plus $900 per day of hospitalization, plus special damages, plus up to $70,000 for family claimants — capped at $150,000 Medical records establishing the complication; proof of relationship and cohabitation for family claimants
VI Death $150,000, plus $900 per day of hospitalization, plus special damages including up to $19,612.30 in funeral expenses, plus up to $105,000 for family claimants — capped at $300,000 Estate declaration, medical records, funeral invoices, proof of relationship and cohabitation

A “family claimant” is a spouse, child, grandchild, parent, grandparent, brother or sister of the primary claimant who lived at the same address and is not themselves a primary claimant. Each family claimant can receive up to $15,000, within the tier caps above.

These figures are not guaranteed amounts. The approval notice is explicit that what each approved claimant actually receives depends on how many claims the administrator approves. With a fixed $7.5 million fund covering payouts, provincial health insurer claims, legal fees and administration costs, a high claim volume means lower individual payments.

Three worked examples

Example 1 — Purchase only. You bought Silk Almond Original in June 2024, drank it, and never felt unwell. You are a class member, but there is no tier that fits you, because every tier requires an illness. Your route is the voluntary refund program described below, not the compensation grid.

Example 2 — Short illness, no doctor. You drank recalled Silk Oat Unsweetened in early July 2024 and had nausea, fever and cramps for about three days. You never saw a physician and no longer have the carton or receipt. That is Tier II — $1,500. You can support it with a declaration attesting to purchase and consumption; the missing receipt does not sink the claim.

Example 3 — Hospitalized. A confirmed listeriosis diagnosis put you in hospital for six days with no lasting complications. That is Tier IV: $10,000 base + (6 × $900 = $5,400) = $15,400, plus documented medical and transportation costs, up to the $30,000 cap. You will need hospital records showing the diagnosis and length of stay.

How to file a claim

  1. Go to the official site. Open plantbeverages-settlement.com/en/claim. English and French are both available.
  2. Read the compensation grid first. Identify your tier before you start the form so you know what evidence to gather.
  3. Collect what you have. Receipts, retained packaging, photos of the carton, pharmacy records, clinic or hospital notes, and any out-of-pocket receipts for medical costs or transportation.
  4. Complete the claim form. The administrator recommends filing online rather than by mail. A downloadable PDF form exists if you need it.
  5. Submit before October 16, 2026, 11:59 p.m. PST. That is a Pacific-time cutoff, so if you are in Ontario or Quebec you are effectively working to 2:59 a.m. on October 17 local time. Do not test it.
  6. Keep your confirmation. The portal allows you to update an existing claim, which matters if you are still waiting on medical records.

You do not need to hire a lawyer. Class counsel represent the whole class and are paid from the settlement fund, not by you.

If you bought it but never got sick

Under the settlement agreement, class members can also use the voluntary refund program that Danone Canada put in place for the recalled Silk and Great Value products. Danone has committed to keeping that program open until October 16, 2026, 11:59 p.m. PST — the same date as the claim deadline.

This is the appropriate path if your situation is “I bought it, I threw it out, I want my money back” rather than “I got sick.” Details are on the settlement website, or call the administrator at 1-888-367-7705.

Notes for newcomers to Canada

If this is your first encounter with a Canadian class action, a few things are worth knowing:

  • The class is defined by purchase or consumption in Canada. It does not reference citizenship or immigration status. Permanent residents, work and study permit holders, and visitors who bought or drank a recalled product in Canada fall within the definition as written.
  • Filing costs nothing and requires no lawyer. Canadian class counsel work on contingency and are paid out of the approved settlement fund.
  • A claim is not a lawsuit you are starting. The case is finished. You are claiming a share of money already set aside by court order.
  • Filing has no connection to IRCC. A settlement claim is a private consumer matter and is not reported to immigration authorities.
  • Service is available in both official languages, and class counsel at LPC Avocats can be reached at (514) 379-1572 if the form is unclear.

If you are unsure whether your circumstances fit a tier, contact the administrator before the deadline rather than guessing. A question costs nothing; a missed deadline is final.

Scam warnings

Every publicized Canadian settlement attracts imitators. Watch for these:

  • Anyone charging a fee to file. Filing is free. Services that offer to “process” your claim for a percentage are taking money you would otherwise keep.
  • Lookalike domains. The only official site is plantbeverages-settlement.com. Check the spelling character by character before entering personal information.
  • Unsolicited texts, emails or social media messages claiming your payment is ready and asking for banking details or a SIN. Start from the official website yourself; never from a link someone sent you.
  • Guaranteed-amount promises. Nobody can promise you $400 or $300,000. Payouts depend on tier and on total approved claim volume.
  • Filing a claim for a product you never bought. Claim forms are sworn declarations. Administrators screen for fraud, and a false declaration carries real legal consequences.

Frequently asked questions

What is the deadline to file?

October 16, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. PST. Claims submitted after that will not be accepted.

Do I need a receipt?

Not necessarily. If you were the purchaser, the grid asks for proof of purchase, retained packaging, or a declaration attesting to purchase if you do not have those documents. Tier III and above additionally require contemporaneous medical records, and no declaration substitutes for those.

I bought the product but never got sick. Do I get $400?

No. Every tier in the compensation grid requires an illness following consumption. If you only purchased the product, your route is Danone Canada’s voluntary refund program, which remains open until October 16, 2026.

Is the $400 payment guaranteed?

No. The approval notice states that compensation depends on the number of claims approved by the administrator. The $7.5 million fund also covers provincial health insurer claims, legal fees and administration expenses before claimants are paid.

Does it cost anything to file?

No. There is no filing fee and no need to retain your own lawyer.

Can newcomers or temporary residents claim?

The class covers all persons in Canada who purchased or ingested the recalled products. The definition does not turn on immigration status.

What if my symptoms started months after I drank it?

The grid requires symptoms to have started at least 48 hours after consumption and no more than 70 days after. Onset outside that window falls outside the grid’s definition.

Sources

This article is general information, not legal advice. Settlement terms, eligibility criteria and deadlines are set by the court and the claims administrator and can change. Confirm details on the official settlement website before filing. Last verified July 26, 2026.

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