Class Action Alleges Coca-Cola Tracks Users Despite Cookie Opt-Outs

Plaintiffs sued Coca-Cola for tracking users after cookie opt-outs on its websites.

On November 6, 2026, California residents Barbara Miles and Jason Mandler initiated a proposed class action lawsuit against Coca-Cola Co. in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

The plaintiffs allege that Coca-Cola's websites continued to transmit tracking information to third parties including Meta Platforms Inc., Google LLC, TikTok Inc., Microsoft, Snapchat, Pinterest, and X even after users had explicitly opted out of advertising, analytics, and personalization cookies.

The lawsuit claims Coca-Cola's cookie consent mechanism misled website visitors by allowing rejection of cookies while nonetheless sharing their browsing data with multiple third parties. These practices, the plaintiffs assert, constitute invasion of privacy, intrusion upon seclusion, unlawful wiretapping, fraud, and unjust enrichment.

The plaintiffs seek damages, restitution, attorneys' fees, and a court injunction requiring Coca-Cola to respect consumer cookie preferences reliably.

According to Coca-Cola's own cookie consent banner, "We use cookies to operate our website to show you personalized content and manage our objectives as a business." However, plaintiffs contend this disclosure was insufficient to inform users of the continued data sharing post opt-out.

This lawsuit underscores ongoing challenges corporations face in complying with evolving privacy regulations and addressing the legal risks associated with online tracking technology and consent management.