DOJ Demands Beef Data From Eight Major Retailers

The United States Department of Justice expanded its antitrust inquiry into the meatpacking industry by demanding six years of pricing and strategy data from eight major food retailers. Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward sent letters on July 14 to Amazon.com Inc., Costco Wholesale Corp., Walmart Inc., Albertsons Cos., Kroger Co., the US unit of Koninklijke Ahold Delhaize NV, Publix Super Markets Inc., and Aldi Inc.

The department is seeking detailed information regarding beef purchasing strategies, retail pricing, profit margins, and market analysis. This probe follows a public request from President Donald Trump, who cited record beef prices as a primary driver of food inflation.

To mitigate supply issues before the November midterm elections, Trump announced he would allow up to 300,000 metric tons of beef imports at lower tariff rates over the next 90 days. In response to the broader environment, Walmart announced plans to cut prices on seasonal products, including beef.