Turkey antitrust class action lawsuit overview:
- Who: An Illinois federal judge certified a class action lawsuit filed against the nation’s largest turkey processors.
- Why: U.S. District Judge Sunil R. Harjani ruled the plaintiffs satisfied the requirements necessary to certify their claims as a class action lawsuit.
- Where: The turkey antitrust class action lawsuit was filed in an Illinois federal court.
An Illinois federal judge certified a class action lawsuit filed against the nation’s largest turkey processors over claims they conspired to fix turkey prices.
U.S. District Judge Sunil R. Harjani certified a class of direct buyers and a class of commercial and institutional indirect buyers who purchased turkey products between Jan. 1, 2010, and Dec. 31, 2016.
The buyers claim the turkey processors conspired to fix prices by exchanging sensitive information about production plans and pricing data to limit supply and increase prices in an alleged violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act.
The class action lawsuit argues the turkey processors exchanged the sensitive information, which the buyers claim marked an unreasonable restraint of trade, using data analytics companies Agri Stats and Express Markets International.
The turkey processors moved to exclude certain opinions from the plaintiffs’ experts; however, Judge Harjani determined the objections applied to the weight of the evidence and not its admissibility.
Turkey antitrust class action claims processors controlled 80% of market
The turkey buyers argue the processors collectively control more than 80% of the market for turkey products.
Judge Harjani ruled the buyers demonstrated it was possible to use common evidence to show all or nearly all class members suffered antitrust injury as a result of the alleged conspiracy.
The judge also determined the plaintiffs’ experts supported class certification by offering a sufficiently plausible class-wide methodology to prove antitrust impact.
In early 2022, Tyson Foods agreed to pay $4.62 million to a class of direct turkey buyers, including wholesalers and distributors, to resolve claims the company engaged in price-fixing.
What do you think of the allegations in this turkey price-fixing class action? Let us know in the comments.
The turkey antitrust class action lawsuit is In re: Turkey Antitrust Litigation, Case No. 1:19-cv-08318, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
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