Walmart is facing a lawsuit for purportedly shortchanging customers on shrimp, with one seafood enthusiast claiming the company has been inflating the weight of shrimp packages by adding ice.
Elijah Baptist from Illinois has filed a class-action suit alleging that Walmart’s shrimp products sometimes contain up to 11% less shrimp than what is advertised, once the ice is removed, as reported.
Baptist, who has been purchasing this shrimp for about three years, expressed his disappointment, particularly after he bought some for a party he hosted recently, according to court documents.
A large bag of Walmart’s frozen, raw, tail-on shrimp costs around $16 for 2 pounds, and is supposed to contain 21 to 25 shrimp per pound. If Baptist were to buy 6 pounds for a gathering of ten people, he could potentially end up with around 15 shrimp less—roughly a $5 loss. He stated he wouldn’t have made the purchase at that price had he known the actual shrimp content.
Walmart has issued a statement saying, “We have policies in place to help ensure suppliers provide correctly labeled products.” They are currently reviewing the complaint and plan to respond in court. This comes shortly after the company agreed to a $45 million settlement in a previous food-weight lawsuit.
The crux of Baptist’s suit hinges on the practice of “glazing,” which is common and legal in the seafood industry. This process involves applying water to seafood for protection. However, excessive glazing can unfairly increase the product’s weight and inflate prices, as noted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Trade publications highlight that shrimp is particularly susceptible to this issue, as glazing can create a misleading impression of quantity.
The ice should not factor into the product’s net weight, and manufacturers can face legal penalties for misrepresenting this, according to guidance from the Food and Drug Administration.
Customers often only discover the true content of their shrimp packages once they reach their kitchen sinks.
According to FrozeNet, “If the glaze was declared clearly and priced honestly, the discussion stays technical. If not, it becomes personal.”
Baptist’s lawsuit seeks to represent consumers in Illinois who have purchased Walmart’s “Great Value” shrimp. He is asking for a jury trial along with damages, restitution, and injunctive relief in state court.
This lawsuit follows a previous settlement where Walmart agreed to pay millions for inaccurately weighed seafood, meat, and poultry items. The company was accused of using a “false, misleading, and deceptive” price label that overstated the product’s actual weight, although Walmart did not admit any wrongdoing in the settlement.
