Walmart Ordered to Face Lawsuits Claiming Store Hiked Prices on This Item

Walmart could soon be headed to court to face accusations it raised prices on one of its items.

Judge Hands Down Order

A judge recently ordered that both Walmart and Energizer will have to face three class action lawsuits. A recent report from Reuters says the companies are accused of violating antitrust law by conspiring to raise prices.

The outlet is reporting the lawsuits allege "Walmart pressured Energizer to inflate wholesale battery prices to keep other retailers from from undercutting it on the price."

According to a list released by Zippia.com, Energizer is the top battery brand in the U.S. with an annual revenue topping $3 billion. Duracell follows with $2 billion in reported revenue.

The lawsuits allege that the "conspiracy" started as far back as 2018. A copy of the lawsuit shared online claims the "scheme" included "Energizer's agreement with Walmart to inflate its wholesale prices for Energizer Battery Products to direct purchasers other than Walmart and to prevent its wholesale customers from charging retail prices below Walmart's."

Which Batteries Are Included In The Lawsuit?

The Reuters article specifically zeroes in on 24-packs of Energizer Max Alkaline AAA batteries that were sold for $16.24 in 2019. The report says Walmart is accused of selling the batteries for one-third the previous year.

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As of this week, the 24-pack of batteries listed on Walmart's website has been discounted from $23.69 to $14.79.

Both Walmart and Energizer declined to comment when contacted by the news service.