Artsana, the parent company of Chicco KidFit booster seats, has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit that claims the booster seats are not as safe as advertised. The settlement does not require proof of purchase from consumers who purchased any of the KidFit booster seat models, including KidFit, KidFit Zip, KidFit Zip Air, KidFit Luxe, KidFit Plus, and KidFit Air Plus, between April 22, 2015, and December 31, 2021.
The lawsuit alleges that Artsana falsely advertised the booster seats by misrepresenting their minimum weight requirements and side-impact collision protection, and consumers claim they would not have bought the booster seats if they had known the truth. Artsana has not admitted any wrongdoing but has agreed to pay an undisclosed sum to resolve the lawsuit.
Under the settlement terms, class members can receive a cash payment of $50 per product with proof of purchase, or $25 per product without proof of purchase. Artsana has also agreed to better inform customers about the weight requirements and safety features of the booster seats through an informational video and other materials.
The deadline for exclusion and objection is September 7, 2023, and the final approval hearing for the settlement is scheduled for October 12, 2023. To receive settlement benefits, class members must submit a valid claim form within 60 days of the final approval hearing, estimated to be December 11, 2023, at the earliest.
Consumers who purchased a Chicco KidFit booster seat model between April 22, 2015, and December 31, 2021, are eligible to participate in the settlement. Proof of purchase, a product registration, or other documentation is required to receive the settlement benefits. The case name is Sayers, et al. v. Artsana USA Inc., Case No. 5:21-cv-01876-JMG, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Jimenez, et al. v. Artsana USA Inc., Case No. 7:21-cv-07933-VB, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The Settlement Administrator’s website is ArtsanaBoosterSeatSettlement.com, and the Claims Administrator is Chicco Booster Seat Settlement Administrator, located at 1650 Arch Street, Suite 2210, Philadelphia, PA 19103.