DOJ Sends Price Data Requests to Retail Giants Amid Beef Price Probe
The US Justice Department has expanded its antitrust inquiry into the meatpacking industry by sending letters to eight major food retailers, including Amazon.com Inc. and Walmart Inc., requesting information on surging beef prices.
In a social media post, DOJ Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward sent letters last month seeking price data from these companies: Amazon, Costco Wholesale Corp., Walmart, Albertsons Cos., Kroger Co., the US unit of Koninklijke Ahold Delhaize NV, Publix Super Markets Inc., and Aldi Inc.
The DOJ's move is part of a broader investigation into the meatpacking industry, which has seen rising beef prices in recent years. The department is seeking to understand how these companies are pricing their products and whether they are engaging in any anti-competitive practices.