Walmart, the American giant retailer known for its low prices in consumer goods is in serious legal trouble. The direct to consumer chain was presented with a class action lawsuit at the tail end of 2022, in which it was determined that some of its clients were eligible for a payment of up to $500 as part of the settlement against them.
The issues started when costumers began alleging that the company was charging more that it should on products sold by the pound. According to the suit, costumers were led to believe that they were paying reasonable, sometimes even below market prices, for products in the meat, bird and seafood departments, while in reality they were being charged even more than standard retail price. Some of these issues also extended to products that were already pre-packaged and were allegedly “incorrectly labeled” by Walmart employees.
So, who is eligible to receive the settlement money?
Based on these accusations, consumers affected by the price discrepancies have been declared eligible to receive a restitution payment of up to $500. This compensation represents approximately 2% of the total cost of the products sold by the pound, as well as the citrus products that were already pre-packaged, that were purchased. This was according to a statement the retailer put forth addressing the issue after the settlement was reached.
Payments will only be issued in cash and will ultimately depend on the purchases made by every individual shopper. Clients will also have to submit proof of purchase in order to receive the money. The affected customers will have to present their tickets or some other receipt that can verify that they did, in fact, buy the products being discussed and at the aforementioned higher prices.
Clients that cannot find their originally issued tickets can try to get them re-issued thought the Walmart website. This endeavor will, of course, be easier if you are a member, but still not impossible if you have the date of your purchase. Credit card statements can help pinpoint the dates if you did use them as payment method.
Shppers will need to be prompt when making their claims as submissions will only be open until June 5th, 2024, and the ticket retrieval can take time. Applications can be sent via mail or online via the website.
As for their stance on the situation, Walmart also stated in the press release that they will still strive to offer their clients the lowest possible price so that they can continue to save money in any products that they may want or need. They do not acknowledge any wrongdoing, and they, in fact, vehemently deny it. The statement also concedes the position that, as a company, the agreed to settlement was truly the best solution for all parties involved.
The company’s refusal to accept the allegations made against them has been rendered a moot point, as according to the conditions of the settlement renewed in 2023, Walmart will have to pay the agreed amount of $45 million to the clients that can support their claims.
Walmart soldiers on
These news resurface after weeks of press coverage touching on the supermarket chain expanding its stores and changing their image to better reflect that “store of the future” concept that will catapult them into the next few decades in business. The settlement does not seem to have derailed any of the announced corporate plans and the company still plans to move forward with the announced changed and renovations. We, as consumers, can only wait and see how this settlement will affect Walmart and their pricing policies in the future.