Shop at Walmart Over the Past 6 Years? You Might Be Able to Claim $500 in Settlement Cash
The big-box retailer is settling claims that it artificially inflated the price of its weighted groceries.
The class-action lawsuit against Walmart alleges that the company overpriced certain items.
If you've purchased "weighted goods" or "bagged citrus" from Walmart between Oct. 19, 2018, and Jan. 19, 2024, you could be eligible to file a claim to receive a share of Walmart's proposed $45 million settlement. And there's more -- you don't even need your receipts to claim a piece of the settlement.
The lawsuit alleges that Walmart's point-of-sale machines artificially raised the weight of "weighted goods" when they were marked at a "Rollback" price, which would allegedly cause the total price to be higher than the advertised discount price.
Additionally, the lawsuit claims that Walmart advertised and promoted bagged produce to weigh more than the actual weight of the item. Clearance products that are sold by weight, specifically with a "reduced price" sticker, also displayed a discrepancy between the advertised price per pound and what customers paid.
"Weighted goods" refers to any items that wouldn't usually have a consistent weight and are usually priced based on said weight. Examples of weighted goods include packaged meat, poultry, pork and seafood. "Bagged citrus" refers to bags of fruits such as oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruit.
Walmart has denied any wrongdoing, and according to NBC, paid out the settlement to avoid trial. Walmart did not respond to CNET's request for comment.
If you think you might be eligible to submit a claim, read on to find out what you need to know about filing your claim.
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Who is eligible to submit a claim?
If you bought "weighted goods" or "bagged citrus" (or both) from a Walmart between Oct. 19, 2018, and Jan. 19, 2024, you could be entitled to claim a part of the recent settlement.
It is not necessary to have retained your receipts to be eligible to submit a claim.
How much money could I get from Walmart?
If you did not retain your Walmart receipts, you can claim money as follows:
- Customers who bought 1 to 50 "weighted goods" or "bagged citrus" can claim $10.
- Customers who bought 51 to 75 "weighted goods" or "bagged citrus" can claim $15.
- Customers who bought 76 to 100 "weighted goods" or "bagged citrus" can claim $20.
- Customers who bought 101-plus "weighted goods" or "bagged citrus" can claim $25.
If you retained your Walmart receipts, you can claim 2% of the total cost of the "weighted goods" and/or "bagged citrus" that you purchased, up to a limit of $500. If the amount of claims made exceeds the total settlement amount, your payment could be decreased.
How can I file a claim, and what's the deadline?
You can file a claim online by going to the settlement website. Otherwise, you can mail a claim form to:
Walmart Weighted Groceries Settlement, c/o Claims Administrator
1650 Arch Street, Suite 2210
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Your claim must be postmarked by June 5, 2024, to receive your payment.
When will I receive my money?
A final approval hearing is scheduled for June 16, 2024. Any eligible payments would go out after that date, but the process could be delayed by appeals.
We'll update this story as new information develops.
For more ongoing settlements, here's what to know about Verizon's recent settlement.