StarKist is facing a penalty of up to $100 million after admitting its role in a conspiracy to fix prices of canned tuna fish in the United States. The food company action is a violation of U.S. antitrust laws.
On Thursday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) filed charges against StarKist in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
In the lawsuit, the DOJ alleged that StarKist and its co-conspirators colluded to” “fix, raise, and maintain the prices of packaged seafood. The conspiracy began in November 2011 until December 2013.
According to the Justice Department, the food company and its co-conspirators committed an “unreasonable restraint of interstate commerce.” It is a violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Antitrust Act.
In a statement, Makan Delrahim, Assistant Attorney of the DOJ’s Antitrust Division, said, “The conspiracy to fix prices on these household staples had direct effects on the pocketbooks of American consumer.”
“All Americans have the right to the benefits of free and open competition — the best goods and services at a price free from collusion. We will continue to hold companies and individuals who cheat consumers accountable,” he added.
