Two lawsuits filed in Illinois recently that allege companies shared data.

Krissa Welshans 1, Feedstuffs Editor

July 6, 2018

1 Min Read
Chicken industry faces more price-fixing lawsuits

Kroger Co., Hy-Vee Inc. and Albertsons Companies Inc. on June 29 filed an antitrust lawsuit in Illinois federal court alleging that several chicken companies, including Tyson, Sanderson Farms and Pilgrim’s Pride, shared data to inflate the cost of product. Just days later, another price-fixing lawsuit was filed in Illinois federal court by Publix Super Markets Inc., Wakfern Food Corp., Associated Grocers of the South Inc. and Meijer Inc., along with OSI Restaurant Partners LLC, against some of the same poultry producers.

“We are disappointed by the recent case filed by our customers,” a Tyson spokesperson told Feedstuffs. “Lawsuits like these do not benefit consumers but only work to enrich opportunistic plaintiff attorneys. Add-on complaints like this do not change our position. The lawsuits are unfounded, and we are determined to defend against these baseless claims.”

A separate federal class-action lawsuit was filed June 28 against Tyson and several other large pork companies alleging that they fixed pork prices to force consumers to pay high prices for bacon, ham, hot dogs and other pork products.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, states that the “scheme” has been carried out since 2009 by companies that control approximately 80% of the market.

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