U.S. retailer Walmart on Tuesday accepted the need to pay up to $500 to eligible customers as part of a settlement in a class-action lawsuit filed by dozens of whistleblowers. If you have bought food at Walmart during the last two years, this supermarket chain may award you compensation of up to $500. The lawsuit alleged that thousands of customers had been overcharged for food sold by weight, and although the company rejected the charges, it agreed to reach such a settlement.
Any Walmart shopper who purchased packaged and weight-sold red meat, poultry, pork or seafood between October 19, 2018 and January 19, 2024, in person at a Walmart store could qualify to receive up to $500 in this $45 million settlement. Buyers who purchased citrus fruits in the bag, including organic oranges and grapefruits, will also be able to claim their share of the agreement.
Claim the $500 From the Walmart Settlement Before It’s Too Late
The deadline for submitting the claim for up to $500 is fast approaching, with only a few days remaining – you can submit your claim application until Wednesday, June 5 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time, which is equivalent to 2:59 a.m. Eastern time on Thursday, June 6, 2024.
Walmart has announced that it will agree to pay eligible buyers 2% of the total amount they spent on the purchases included in this agreement, with a maximum of up to $500 per individual, as long as they have the receipt or other documentation proving the purchase of the products and the amount paid for them at the time of purchase.
However, those buyers who do not keep the receipt due to the time elapsed since the purchase will still be able to receive payments of $10 to $25 if their claims are approved. The amount of the payments will depend on the total number of people filing claims after this settlement.
Who Are the Buyers Eligible to Claim up to $500?
Walmart has already contacted shoppers who might qualify for a payment by email, providing an ID of the notice and a confirmation code according to the deal’s website. However, those who have not received an email can also complete a claim form online or by mail.
Shoppers who do not have their receipts handy or have lost them can get a copy on Walmart’s website, providing information such as the date of purchase, the ZIP code of the store where they made it, the total amount of the receipt and the last four digits of the credit or debit card used for payment.
Why Did This Class Action Lawsuit Against Walmart Get Started?
This class action lawsuit began when a single shopper noticed that the price printed on the “weighted products” labels did not match the final price he paid at checkout. This buyer claimed that Walmart inflated the weight of some products and charged a higher price than the corresponding one. He also alleged that the actual weight of the oranges in the bag was lower than indicated on the packaging, resulting in a higher charge for less quantity of product.
This buyer had already sued Walmart in 2019 for “misleading, unfair and unconscionable” practices when selling certain products by weight. Although Walmart denied all the accusations in both class actions and did not admit to any wrongdoing or errors in the calculation of weights and charges, it agreed to pay $45,000,000 to avoid further costs in the litigation.
