Walmart has resolved two major overcharging cases: a $45 million federal class action settlement covering shoppers nationwide who bought weighted meat, seafood, or bagged citrus, and a separate $5.6 million California consumer protection settlement paid to state prosecutors. The federal fund has already been distributed to claimants and is no longer accepting claims. The California case pays civil penalties to counties, not to individual customers. Walmart denied wrongdoing in both.
What Walmart Was Accused Of
The federal lawsuit, Kukorinis v. Walmart Inc., was filed in October 2022 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. It alleged three forms of overcharging on grocery items sold by weight.1CourtListener. Kukorinis v. Walmart, Inc. Walmart’s point-of-sale systems allegedly inflated the recorded weight of packaged meat, poultry, pork, and seafood, especially on discounted “rollback” items.2AL.com. Walmart $45 Million Settlement: Bought Meat, Bagged Citrus, You May Be Eligible for Up to $500 Bagged citrus (organic oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, navel oranges) allegedly weighed less than the label stated.3The New York Times. Walmart Settlement Overcharge Refund And clearance items with yellow expiration stickers were allegedly rung up at prices higher than the discounted per-unit price on the sticker.4NPR. Walmart Grocery Settlement Cash Payments
Walmart denied the allegations but agreed to settle, calling it “in the best interest of both parties” to avoid continued litigation.3The New York Times. Walmart Settlement Overcharge Refund
Who Was Covered by the $45 Million Class Action
The settlement class covered anyone who bought eligible weighted goods or bagged citrus in person at a Walmart retail store, Supercenter, or Neighborhood Market in the U.S. or Puerto Rico between October 19, 2018 and January 19, 2024. Online orders and items purchased for resale were excluded.5Walmart Weighted Groceries Settlement. FAQs
Receipts were not required, but they changed the payout.6CBS News. Walmart Weighted Grocery Settlement
- Without receipts, claimants attested to how many qualifying items they bought and received a flat payment: $10 for up to 50 items, $15 for 51–75, $20 for 76–100, and $25 for 101 or more.
- With receipts, claimants received 2% of the total cost of eligible purchases, capped at $500.
Payouts were subject to adjustment based on how many valid claims came in.7OPB. Some Walmart Shoppers Could Get Up to $500 in Cash From a Class Action Settlement Payment options included Venmo, Zelle, direct deposit, and prepaid Mastercard gift cards.6CBS News. Walmart Weighted Grocery Settlement
Can You Still File a Claim?
No. The claim deadline was June 5, 2024, and the deadline to opt out or object was May 22, 2024.5Walmart Weighted Groceries Settlement. FAQs8Claim Depot. Walmart Inc. False Advertising
Payments have now been distributed. A second distribution attempt is underway for claimants whose initial payments failed and who updated their contact or payment information. The settlement website states that any newly submitted claim forms will be rejected.9Walmart Weighted Groceries Settlement. Walmart Weighted Groceries Settlement Homepage If you filed on time and never received payment, checking the settlement site to update your details is the only remaining route.
The California $5.6 Million Settlement Does Not Pay Shoppers
A separate case brought by district attorneys in Santa Clara, San Diego, San Bernardino, and Sonoma counties resulted in a $5.6 million settlement announced August 8, 2025, filed in San Diego County Superior Court.10Santa Clara County District Attorney. Walmart Overcharged Customers, Will Pay $5.6 Million to Settle Consumer Protection Lawsuit Prosecutors alleged Walmart charged more than the lowest posted price and sold produce, baked goods, and prepared items that weighed less than the label stated, in violation of California’s False Advertising and Unfair Competition Laws.11Los Angeles Times. Walmart to Pay $5.6 Million to Settle Lawsuit Alleging They Overcharged Customers
This settlement does not pay individual customers. Of the $5.6 million, $5.5 million went to civil penalties and roughly $139,900 covered investigative costs for the county Weights and Measures divisions involved.10Santa Clara County District Attorney. Walmart Overcharged Customers, Will Pay $5.6 Million to Settle Consumer Protection Lawsuit12San Bernardino County District Attorney. Walmart Pays $5.6 Million Resolving Allegations of Price Overcharges and False Weight Advertising The judgment also includes an injunction against false or misleading advertising in California and requires Walmart to maintain regional compliance associates responsible for price and weight accuracy at its California stores.13Sonoma County District Attorney. Walmart Settles Consumer Protection Case for Scanner Price Overcharges and False Advertising Walmart did not admit liability.
This Isn’t Walmart’s First California Pricing Case
A 2008 California judgment required Walmart to correct checkout pricing errors and give overcharged customers a $3 discount off the lowest advertised price, or the item free if it cost less than $3. A 2010 investigation found continued pricing errors across 11 California counties, leading to a 2012 settlement in which Walmart paid $2.1 million and agreed to post pricing-error signs at checkout in English and Spanish, assign a dedicated price-accuracy employee at each store, and report discrepancies to headquarters within three hours.14California Attorney General. Attorney General Kamala D. Harris Announces Wal-Mart to Pay $2.1 Million for Failing to Stop Overcharging