Walmart shoppers in line for check from $3.88m overcharged settlement – the two-step criteria needed to get payment

WALMART shoppers who purchased cans of tuna may be entitled to a payment if they follow two-step criteria.

Two canned tuna companies agreed to pay a $3.875 million settlement to resolve a class action lawsuit.

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Customers must act quickly, however, as the deadline for exclusion and objection is in just two days, on August 30.

According to the lawsuit, the two companies – StarKirst and Lion Capital – conspired with other tuna manufacturers to raise and fix the price of Foodservice-Size Packaged Tuna products of 40 ounces or more.

Shoppers claim they were forced to pay higher prices for these tuna products due to this alleged conspiracy.

The settlement will benefit those who purchased these Foodservice-Size Packaged Tuna products from Walmart between June 1, 2011 and December 31, 2016.

Individuals who purchased these products from other stores including Sam’s Club , Costco , and US Foods are also eligible for a payment.

The tuna companies have not admitted any wrongdoing but agreed to pay the combined multi-million dollar sum to resolve the lawsuit.

StarKirst will pay the majority of the settlement fund, contributing $3.6 million and Lion Capital will pay the remaining $275,000.

WHO’S ELIGIBLE?

Individuals who believe they are eligible recipients for a payment from the $3.875 million settlement should have received a postcard in the mail.

Class members who received these postcard notices showing their qualifying purchase values will receive payments based on these values.

Those who received a postcard without a qualifying purchase will not be able to receive a payment from the settlement.

These postcards remove the need for any receipts in this lawsuit.

There is no estimated payment amount for each individual.

The cash will vary pro-rata depending on how many claims are filed.

The final approval for the tuna price-fixing settlement is scheduled for November 15.

What's a class-action settlement?

Class action lawsuits offer groups of people, or 'classes,' a way to band together in court.

These suits are often brought by one or a few people who allege a company or other entity has wronged a large group of people.

When a suit becomes a class action, it extends to all “class members,” or people who may have similar complaints to those who filed the suit.

Companies often settle class actions – offering payment to class members who typically waive their right to pursue further legal action by accepting money.

These payout agreements frequently include statements by the defendant denying wrongdoing. Companies tend to settle class actions to avoid the costs of further litigation.

Pollution, discrimination, or false advertising are a few examples of what can land a class action on a company’s doorstep.

Walmart shoppers do not need to submit a claim form for this settlement.

If they do not exclude themselves, they will automatically receive settlement payments.

Other companies involved in ongoing settlements in the US include Group 1001, an insurance and annuity company, Great Expressions, a dental company, and the Bank of America .

Group 1001’s alleged data breach in February 2023 resulted in personal information being compromised.

Customers could be eligible for up to $5,000 from the company’s $4.76 million settlement.

The dental care company Great Expressions allegedly allowed unauthorized access to sensitive consumer information in a data breach at the start of this year.

Americans can get payouts of up to $6,000 if they were affected by the February 2023 data breach.

This payment will come from the $2.7 million settlement Great Expressions agreed to pay.

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