TAMPA, FLA. — After preliminary approval of a class action settlement involving Walmart Inc., frequenters of the retailer may be eligible for a cash payment.
Denying any wrongdoing, Walmart agreed to pay $45 million to settle the class action lawsuit alleging the retailer used deceptive business practices.
The complaint accused the company of falsely inflating product weight, mislabeling weight of bagged produce and overcharging of sold-by-weight clearance products. Walmart customers who purchased certain sold-by-weight meat, poultry, pork and seafood products as well as certain organic oranges, grapefruit, tangerines and navel oranges allegedly paid more than the lowest in-store advertised price for those products.
Consumers who purchased such products between Oct. 19, 2018, and Jan. 19, 2024, at a Walmart Store in the United States or Puerto Rico are eligible to receive compensation.
To receive a cash payment, consumers must submit a claim by June 5.
The amount that an individual will receive depends on the amount of weighted goods or bagged citrus they purchased during the settlement class period. It also depends on the number of people who submit valid claim forms.
Eligible consumers without proof of purchase could receive between $10 to $25, depending on the quantity of goods they attest to buying during the settlement class period. Those with receipts or other documentation could receive up to 2% of the total products’ cost, up to $500.
A final approval hearing will be held June 12. Objections and comments are welcomed through May 22.