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.
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. (Photo : ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Image)
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 Lawsuit
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.
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.
