Newswalmart
Apr 05, 2024 07:20 AM EDT
Customers of Walmart who purchased specific weighted goods or bagged fruit have until the end of the month to be eligible for a portion of a settlement of $45 million, which settles claims the store overpaid for those products.
Consumers of the massive retail chain may be eligible for up to $500 as part of the class-action settlement regarding allegations that Walmart overcharged for bagged citrus and packaged meat, chicken, pig, and seafood.
According to the settlement administrator, customers who made an in-store purchase of bagged citrus or weighted items at any of Walmart's 4,615 U.S. locations between October 19, 2018, and January 19, 2024 are entitled to make a claim. According to the settlement website, customers who purchased a qualifying product and have a receipt are eligible to receive 2% of the entire amount they paid, up to a $500 maximum.
Walmart customers who swear to buying between $10 and $25 over the specified time period but do not have a receipt for their transactions can still file a claim.
The class-action lawsuit, which was filed in October 2022, claimed that Walmart customers had to pay more for food products than the lowest in-store advertised price because the prices shown on the sold-by-weight commodities were higher than their real costs per unit.
The settlement agreement Walmart filed with a federal court in Tampa, Florida in November said that the company denied any misconduct or culpability in the lawsuit.
To be eligible for the settlement, customers must file a claim by June 5th. The deal must still be approved in full at a hearing on June 12th. The deadline to opt out of the settlement is May 22 for those who choose to be left out.
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Depending on what you bought within the Settlement Class Period, different payment amounts apply.
"In addition, the amount that a Settlement Class Member will receive depends on the number of people who submit valid Claim Forms because all amounts are subject to a potential pro rata increase or decrease and to a supplemental distribution," the settlement website states.
During the Settlement Class Period, individuals may be eligible for cash payments based on their purchases as follows: $10 for up to 50 weighted goods and/or bagged citrus purchased in-person without proof of purchase, $15 for 51-75 items, $20 for 76-100 items, and $25 for 101 or more items. Additionally, individuals who can provide proof of purchase for each item bought during the Settlement Class Period may receive up to $500, calculated as 2% of the total cost of the substantiated purchases. Receipts can potentially be retrieved from Walmart's website if they are not readily available.
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