Smithfield pork indirect purchasers antitrust $75M class action settlement

Updates:

• The claim deadline has been extended to April 2, 2024.

• On March 29, 2023, Judge John R. Tunheim certified a class of all persons and entities who indirectly purchased raw pork bacon, or one or more of the following types of raw pork, whether fresh or frozen: bellies, loins, shoulder, ribs or pork chops, from the defendants or co-conspirators for personal consumption in Arizona, California, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and West Virginia from June 28, 2014, to June 30, 2018, and in Kansas, Tennessee and South Carolina from June 28, 2015, to June 30, 2018.
• Class members now have the opportunity to opt out of this class.
• Those who opt out will not be able to recover any award from potential future settlements or judgments class counsel obtains for the class.
• Class members’ decision whether to exclude themselves from the class will not affect their ability to participate in the previous settlements reached in this litigation.
• No additional settlements have been reached with the non-settling defendants.
• Any claims filed related to previous settlements reached in this litigation are unaffected by the court’s certification order.
• Class members wishing to exclude themselves from the above class must submit a valid written request for exclusion, postmarked no later than April 2, 2024.

• The court granted this settlement final approval April 11, 2023.
• Let Top Class Actions know when you receive a check in the comments section below or on our Settlements & Payouts Facebook group!

Smithfield agreed to a $75 million antitrust class action lawsuit settlement to end litigation surrounding claims it worked with other pork manufacturers to raise and fix the price of pork products, causing consumers to be overcharged for pork.

The settlement benefits consumers who indirectly purchased pork products manufactured by JBS USA Food, Clemens Family, Hormel, Seaboard, Smithfield, Triumph, Tyson and Agri Stats between Jan. 1, 2009, and April 2, 2021.

Plaintiffs in the antitrust class action lawsuit claim a number of pork manufacturers violated federal law by working together to raise and fix the price of pork products. As a result of this conduct, indirect purchasers allegedly were overcharged for pork products at grocery stores and other retailers.

Smithfield Foods is a pork manufacturer that sells a variety of products under brands such as Smithfield, Farmland, Healthy Ones, Kretschmar and Margherita.

Smithfield hasn’t admitted any wrongdoing but agreed to resolve these claims with a $75 million class action settlement. JBS agreed to a similar settlement in which it will pay $20 million to resolve antitrust allegations.

Under the terms of the Smithfield settlement, class members may be able to receive a settlement payment in the future. 

Because claims are still pending against other defendants in the case, funds from the Smithfield settlement will not be distributed until the claims are resolved. 

The deadline for exclusion and objection is Feb. 7, 2023.

The final approval hearing for the settlement is scheduled for March 30, 2023.

To receive settlement benefits, class members must submit a valid claim form by the extended deadline of April 2, 2024.

Who’s Eligible

Consumers who indirectly purchased pork products manufactured by JBS USA Food, Clemens Family, Hormel, Seaboard, Smithfield, Triumph, Tyson and Agri Stats between Jan. 1, 2009, and April 2, 2021

Potential Award

Varies

Proof of Purchase

N/A

Claim Form

NOTE: If you do not qualify for this settlement do NOT file a claim.

Remember: you are submitting your claim under penalty of perjury. You are also harming other eligible Class Members by submitting a fraudulent claim. If you’re unsure if you qualify, please read the FAQ section of the Settlement Administrator’s website to ensure you meet all standards (Top Class Actions is not a Settlement Administrator). If you don’t qualify for this settlement, check out our database of other open class action settlements you may be eligible for.

Claim Form Deadline

Extended to 04/02/2024

Case Name

In re: Pork Antitrust Litigation, Case No. 0:18-cv-01776-JRT-JFD, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota

Final Hearing

03/30/2023

Settlement Website

overchargedforpork.com

Claims Administrator

Pork Indirect Purchaser Litigation
c/o A.B. Data, Ltd.
P.O. Box 173137
Milwaukee, WI 53217
info@overchargedforpork.com
877-777-9594

Class Counsel

Shana E Scarlett
HAGENS BERMAN SOBOL SHAPIRO LLP

Daniel E Gustafson
Daniel C Hedlund
GUSTAFSON GLUEK PLLC

Defense Counsel

Brian Robison
BROWN FOX PLLC

Richard Parker
Josh Lipton
GIBSON DUNN & CRUTCHER LLP