McDonald’s filed a suit to join a lawsuit against Agri Stats and the largest poultry companies in the United States, joining a long list of restaurants, grocers and food processors to accuse the poultry industry of conspiring to raise the price of chicken through legal action.
McDonald’s is seeking damages, post-judgment interest to be awarded at the highest legal rate, and attorneys’ fees, litigation expenses and costs.
The lawsuit alleges that as early as 2008, Pilgrim’s Pride, Sanderson Farms and Perdue Farms, among others, conspired to fix, raise, maintain and stabilize prices of broiler chickens sold to foodservice operators. The defendants accomplished this conspiracy by exchanging with each other — and through Agri Stats — detailed, competitively sensitive non-public information about prices, capacity, sales volume and demand, according to the court filing. The US Department of Justice (DOJ) so far has indicted 14 former executives and managers employed at some of the poultry processing companies named in lawsuits.
McDonald’s joins a long list of foodservice operators, distributors, grocery retailers and the state of Alaska seeking compensation. Other companies in the lawsuit include Chick-fil-A, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, White Castle and Golden Corral and Bob Evans among others.
Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.
Featured News
EU Extends Support for Farms and Fisheries Amid Market Disruptions
May 5, 2024 by
CPI
Sony and Apollo Bid $26 Billion for Paramount Acquisition
May 5, 2024 by
CPI
Goldman Sachs Resolves Decade-Old Metal-Rigging Class Action Lawsuit
May 5, 2024 by
CPI
Italian Antitrust Ruling Puts Halt on Intesa Sanpaolo’s Fintech Ambitions
May 5, 2024 by
CPI
Google Antitrust Case: Closing Arguments Conclude
May 5, 2024 by
CPI
Antitrust Mix by CPI
Antitrust Chronicle® – Economics of Criminal Antitrust
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
Navigating Economic Expert Work in Criminal Antitrust Litigation
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
The Increased Importance of Economics in Cartel Cases
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
A Law and Economics Analysis of the Antitrust Treatment of Physician Collective Price Agreements
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
Information Exchange In Criminal Antitrust Cases: How Economic Testimony Can Tip The Scales
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI