If you’ve shopped at Walmart at some point over the last several years, you could be eligible to receive up to $500 as part of a $45 million settlement from the grocery chain to resolve a class-action lawsuit.
The lawsuit, filed in 2022, claims that “Walmart uses unfair and deceptive business practices to deceivingly, misleadingly, and unjustly pilfer, to Walmart’s financial benefit, its customers’ hard-earned grocery dollars.” These “unfair” practices have to do with customers overpaying for certain weighted grocery items, including meat, seafood and bagged citrus. And although Walmart denies any wrongdoing on their part, it has decided to settle.
Specifically, the lawsuit accuses Walmart of falsely inflating product weight, mislabeling the weight of bagged produce and overcharging for sold-by-weight clearance products — practices that seemingly go against Walmart’s mission “to save people money so they can live better.” It claims that at checkout, Walmart’s system increased the weight of certain products, resulting in customers overpaying. Furthermore, the lawsuit claims that Walmart used price stickers on bulk organic oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, and navel oranges that falsely represented the cost per ounce, and that sold-by-weight clearance products were labeled as costing less than they actually were.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Be a smarter, better informed investor.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Who is eligible for payment?
Anyone who purchased certain weighted goods (such as pork, poultry and seafood) or bagged citrus in person at a Walmart retail store, supercenter, or neighborhood market in the United States or Puerto Rico from October 19, 2018, through January 19, 2024, is eligible. You can find and search through the full list of eligible products online, as well as submit a claim. Claims for payment must be submitted online or through the mail by June 5, 2024.
When filling out the claim form, customers will be asked to provide receipts, proof of purchase or other documentation that verifies eligible products purchased, and will receive 2% of the total cost — capped at $500.00. If you don’t have documentation, you can still receive $10 to $25 depending on the number of goods that were purchased. If you wish to object to or exclude yourself from the settlement, you must do so no later than May 22, 2024.
The final approval hearing will take place on June 12, 2024.
Related Content
-
Is It Worth Upgrading to the iPhone 17?The iPhone 17 is here. Learn what's new, where the best deals are and whether it's worth the switch.
-
I'm an Investment Strategist: This Is How the Fed's Next Rate Move Could Impact Your WalletInterest rate cuts might be coming, which could affect everything from your credit card debt to your mortgage. It's smart to prepare now — here's how.
-
Seven Surprising Reasons Retirees Are Going Back to WorkSure, money is a big reason to come out of retirement, but it's not the only reason retirees are doing it.
-
US Increasing ESTA Fee to Nearly Double Starting in SeptemberNew fee structure hikes ESTA from $21 to $40, adding a new layer to visitor costs under the One Big Beautiful Bill.
-
The Real Cost of Streaming Live Sports in 2025Streaming your favorite team keeps getting more expensive. Here’s the true cost of sports — and how to save.
-
Flight Refunds Could Soon Be Harder to GetThe Department of Transportation's deregulation efforts are taking aim at your rights to compensation for delays, canceled flights, lost baggage and more.
-
Beyond Banking: How Credit Unions Serve Their CommunitiesCredit unions differentiate themselves from traditional banks by operating as member-owned financial cooperatives focused on community support and service rather than shareholder profit.
-
Press Pause on Spending: Reset Your Financial Mindset with a No-Spend ChallengeUse a month-long spending freeze to break habits, reclaim control over your money and lay the groundwork for smarter, lasting financial habits.
