Hundreds of Portland shoppers could get $200 each from WinCo Foods because of a lawsuit settlement. The lawsuit said the store wrongly added the city's clean energy tax to customer bills.
WinCo Faces $3.6 Million Settlement.
According to court documents seen by The U.S. Sun, WinCo Foods has been accused of not telling Portland, Oregon shoppers about an extra charge. The lawsuit claims that WinCo did not clearly show the true cost of groceries, which included an added 1% fee from the city's Clean Energy Fund, approved by voters in November 2018.
Despite these allegations, WinCo Foods denies them. The company insists it listed all charges, including the clean energy tax, on the receipts given to customers.
To avoid more legal expenses, WinCo agreed to a $3.6 million settlement in January. The total amount WinCo will pay exceeds $3,365,000. This includes about $235,000 spent on notifying customers about the settlement.
Legal fees will take another $1,009,500, with $150,000 set aside for other possible costs. Additionally, the Class Representative in the case will receive $10,000 as a service reward.
Customers who bought certain items from WinCo Foods in Portland, Oregon, could soon receive a payout. However, there are specific criteria they need to meet.
Only those who purchased non-grocery items between June 1, 2019, and May 8, 2022, are eligible for the settlement payment. It remains uncertain whether there is a specific list of items that qualify under the non-grocery category.
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WinCo Settlement Claim Details
People who believe they are entitled to money from WinCo Foods can file a claim online or email it to the class administrator using the address provided on the settlement website.
The deadline to submit a claim, exclude oneself, or object to the settlement is July 9, 2024. The court will hold a final approval hearing on August 8, 2024.
Claimants do not need to provide a receipt or any documentation to prove their purchase. However, they must describe the non-grocery item they bought that included the 1% surcharge and assert this under oath, signing the form at the bottom, as explained by attorney Michael Fuller to Oregon Live.
After reviewing their claims, Fuller also mentioned that the court might ask some claimants for additional information, such as the store's location or payment receipts. This could mean a longer wait for some to receive their payments.
Each claimant could receive an estimated $200, but this amount might change depending on the number of claims filed and approved. Claimants can receive their funds through digital payment services or a check mailed to them.
Meanwhile, WinCo Foods is not the only big store giving money back to customers because of legal settlements. Walgreens has agreed to send $918 to some Americans following a class action lawsuit.
Similarly, Walmart has settled for $45 million, which means some customers might receive one-time payments of $500. These settlements highlight a trend of major retailers addressing legal claims with financial payouts to their customers.
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