Feb 19 (Reuters) - Wheat Thins purchasers reached a $10

million settlement of a lawsuit accusing Mondelez International ( MDLZ )

of deceptively labeling the crackers as "100% Whole

Grain" though they contained corn starch, a refined grain.

A preliminary settlement of the nationwide class action was

filed late Tuesday night in San Francisco federal court, and

requires a judge's approval.

Purchasers with valid claims would receive refunds of $4.50

to $20.00, depending on whether they kept receipts and how many

Wheat Thins boxes they bought.

Mondelez ( MDLZ ) also agreed not to use "100% Whole Grain" on Wheat

Thins packaging without qualifying that language.

According to the October 2022 complaint, whole grains are

healthier than refined grains, and Wheat Thins purchasers would

not have bought or would have paid less for the crackers had

they known Mondelez's ( MDLZ ) labels were false.

The settlement covers U.S. purchasers since Oct. 13, 2018 of

Original, Reduced Fat, Sundried Tomato & Basil, Big, Ranch, Hint

of Salt, Cracked Pepper & Olive Oil, and Spicy Sweet Chili Wheat

Thins with "100% Whole Grain" on the label.

Leftover money would go to UCLA's Resnick Center for Food

Law and Policy and to Feeding America, a hunger relief

nonprofit.

The purchasers' lawyers may seek up to $3.33 million from

the settlement fund for fees.

Mondelez ( MDLZ ) denied wrongdoing in agreeing to settle. The

Chicago-based company did not immediately respond on Wednesday

to requests for comment.

The case is Wallenstein v Mondelez International Inc ( MDLZ ) et al,

U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No.

22-06033.