By Zoe Han
The retailer settled a lawsuit claiming it had overcharged customers for groceries sold by weight, including meat and oranges
If you've shopped for groceries at Walmart (WMT) over the past few years, the retailer might owe you some money. Walmart recently settled a class-action lawsuit alleging that it had overcharged customers for groceries sold by weight. The deadline to claim cash is in just over a week.
Anyone who bought packaged meat, poultry, pork or seafood that was sold by weight from Oct. 19, 2018, through Jan. 19, 2024, in person at Walmart could qualify for part of the $45 million settlement. Shoppers who purchased bagged citrus fruit, including organic oranges and grapefruit, might also be eligible for payments.
The deadline to submit a claim is Wednesday, June 5, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time (2:59 a.m. Eastern time on Thursday, June 6). A complete list of the products can be found on the settlement website. Claims can be submitted online or mailed in. Mailed entries must be postmarked no later than June 5.
Walmart has said it will pay eligible shoppers 2% of the total amount they spent on affected products, or a maximum of $500 - as long as they have their receipt or other documentation that shows they bought the products and how much they paid for them.
Walmart shoppers who don't have receipts or other documentation may still be eligible for $10 to $25 payouts if their claims are approved. The amount of the payouts will also depend on how many people submit claims.
Walmart sent an email to shoppers who might qualify for a payout with a notice ID and confirmation code, according to the settlement website. Those who did not receive an email can also fill out a claim form online or by mail.
Shoppers can look up their receipts on Walmart's website by filling in information such as the date of the purchase, the ZIP code of the store they went to, the receipt total and the last four digits of the credit or debit card they used.
The lawsuit originated with a shopper who said he noticed that the price printed on the price tags of some "weighted goods" did not match the final price he paid at checkout. He alleged that Walmart had inflated some products' weights and charged a higher price. He also alleged that the actual weight of bagged oranges was lower than what Walmart listed on its packaging.
The same shopper was also the lead plaintiff in a previous class-action lawsuit against Walmart that was filed in 2019 and accused the retailer of "deceptive, unfair and unconscionable" practices when selling certain products by weight.
In both cases, Walmart denied the allegations. The retailer admitted no wrongdoing in the most recent lawsuit and settled it for $45 million to avoid further litigation costs.
"We still deny the allegations, however we believe a settlement is in the best interest of both parties," a Walmart spokesperson told MarketWatch. "We will continue providing our customers everyday low prices to help them save money on the products they want and need."
The 2019 lawsuit also ended with Walmart admitting no wrongdoing but agreeing to pay out between $4.5 million and $9.5 million to plaintiffs. The shopper who first pursued the lawsuit was not happy with the settlement: He sent a letter to the judge saying that his lawyers had settled without his knowledge and that the settlement was a "betrayal" of consumers, Reuters reported in 2020. The plaintiff's law firm for the 2019 case, Morgan & Morgan, did not immediately respond to MarketWatch's request for comment.
The plaintiff and his attorneys in the 2022 case also could not be reached immediately for comment.
Consumer advocates mentioned the $45 million Walmart settlement at a recent U.S. Senate hearing as evidence of "profiteering and unfair pricing tactics" that have driven up grocery prices.
"Millions of Americans are potentially impacted by profiteering at Walmart, which captures more than 50% of grocery dollars in hundreds of markets and more than 70% in dozens of those," Lindsay Owens, executive director of the left-leaning think tank Groundwork Collaborative, said at the May 22 hearing.
Also read: You're paying a lot more for food these days. Here's how to save money on groceries.
Class-action lawsuits are one way that consumers can seek compensation from corporations when they feel they've been harmed or wronged. If more than one consumer alleges that they've been harmed by an organization or company in a similar way, they can start a class-action lawsuit.
A cash payout doesn't necessarily mean a company lost the lawsuit or was found to be at fault. Sometimes, a company will settle with those who filed the case, making a payment in cash - and in some instances, coupons - to avoid further litigation costs.
Keeping track of the status of class-action lawsuits or settlements can be difficult, even if people are eligible for a payout. Consumers can find information at websites including ClassAction.org and Top Class Actions.
-Zoe Han
This content was created by MarketWatch, which is operated by Dow Jones & Co. MarketWatch is published independently from Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal.
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05-29-24 1501ET
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