Johannesburg – An offer of settlement has been made as part of the overall resolution of the listeriosis group measures taken against the Tiger Brand.
In a statement on Monday (May 12, 2025) that Bruche has made available, the Tiger brand confirmed:
“The major reinsurers, who have a major act of defending class actions against the Tiger Brand, have given Tiger Brand support and contracts, have allowed the insurer's attorneys to make a settlement offer to certain nominated persons.”
This offer was made to members of the following classes of claimants who were injured as a result of listeriasis caused by the genotype L1-SL6-ST6-CT4148 of Listeria monocyte egenes (ST6):
Claimant who has contracted (or has been contracted by the mother) with listeriosis caused by ST6. Claimants whose legal purveyor they were legally dependent on died from listeriosis caused by ST6. and legal dependents, those in their care, and claimants who suffered from listeriosis caused by ST6.
Tiger Brand said the offer for settlement, made on April 25, 2025, includes a commitment to pay the claimant's performance or agreed upon compensation damages in relation to Section 61 of the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008.
Tiger Brand said the offer was subject to certain conditions and was made without acknowledging liability and was made in full and final settlement of the claimant's claim.
To protect the privacy of individuals participating in the settlement, details of the offer and payment will not be made public.
“Today's announcement represents an important milestone and will provide interim relief in the form of advance payments to identified claimants with urgent medical needs, in accordance with measures already taken in February 2025.”
“It also demonstrates our commitment to working closely with insurance companies and appointed lawyers to explore resolutions across class actions.”
The Tiger Brand said it has been working with the plaintiff's lawyers along with the insurer's attorneys to ensure the prompt and timely implementation of the compensation damages offered and settlements that have been achieved as quickly as possible.
“The next step to making an effective settlement offer effective is for plaintiffs' attorneys to be communicated to qualified claimants and the offer is made for damages to the claimant who accepts the quantified offer,” the statement said.
“The process of presenting an offer to these eligible claimants takes several weeks, and arrangements to quantify the damages are expected to continue over the next few weeks.”
Class actions administered in two stages are still in stage 1, during which time liability should be determined by the court.
“Only if the Tiger brand is found to be liable would a causal issue arise, and even in the second stage of the class action, the assessment of compensation paid to the claimant for damages was incurred,” the statement said.
“As mentioned previously, Tiger Brands has the right product liability insurance coverage for groups of that size.”
