Americans Can Claim a One-Time $200 Payment of a $3.6 Million Hidden Surcharge Settlement — and You Don’t Need a Receipt

SOME Americans can claim a one-time distribution worth hundreds of dollars from a hidden surcharge agreement.

The direct payment opportunity arises following a class action lawsuit involving WinCo Foods.

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Plaintiffs in the lawsuit accused the supermarket chain of neglecting to notify customers in Portland, Oregon, about a surcharge, by court documents obtained by The US Sun.

It reportedly failed to convey the true cost of consumer purchases with an additional 1% fee from the city’s Clean Energy Fund, approved by voters in November 2018.

WinCo Foods denied the allegations made in the lawsuit, arguing that it itemized all charges, including the energy tax, on customer receipts.

The brand agreed to a $3.6 million settlement in January to resolve the claims and avoid further legal costs.

In total, WinCo Foods will pay more than US$3,365,000.

About $235,000 has already been spent to notify customers of the settlement.

Another $1,009,500 will go toward legal fees, $150,000 toward additional discretionary costs, and $10,000 to the Class Representative in the case as a reward for service, according to the settlement website.

Affected customers could see money arriving soon if they meet certain criteria.

ELIGIBILITY

Clearance payment is limited to shoppers who purchased items from WinCo Foods in Portland, Oregon.

Merchandise transactions must have occurred between June 1, 2019 and May 8, 2022.

According to the terms of the agreement, the items also had to be “non-food”.

It is unclear whether there is a specific list of eligible items that would fall into this category or not.

FILING A COMPLAINT

Potential applicants can file a form online through the settlement website or by email to the class administrator at the address listed on the website.

The firm deadline for submitting a claim is set for July 9, 2024.

Line by line! Don’t pay extra…

Here’s what Joy Dumandan, consumer editor at The US Sun has to say…

It’s worth checking your receipt, and consumers shouldn’t hesitate to ask what the various line items mean.

WinCo Foods is accused of using a hidden surcharge imposed on customers to pay the Portland, Oregon clean energy surcharge.

The surcharge was approved on November 6, 2018, after Portland voters said “yes” to the ballot measure.

It imposes a 1% surcharge on “large retailers” on retail sales. The money is used for grants and projects to reduce carbon emissions and other green energy initiatives.

A major retailer is a company that reports total gross revenue of $1 billion and a Portland gross revenue of $500,000 or more. The surcharge is for large retailers and not a sales tax for consumers.

The Clean Energy Surcharge went into effect on January 1, 2019.

The US Sun got court documents of the class action settlement with WinCo. The lawsuit accuses the supermarket of “omitting the value of the surcharge detailed in customer receipts in the advertised prices”.

The hidden fees would have occurred between June 1, 2019 and May 8, 2022.

Court documents state that on May 8, 2022, WinCo stopped “charging the surcharge at point-of-sale registrations.”

Anyone who paid an extra fee for non-grocery items can file a complaint, according to the settlement.

WinCo did not admit any wrongdoing.

By: Joy Dumandan

The same date is set for the deadlines for exclusion or opposition to liquidation.

The final approval hearing for the case is scheduled for August 8.

PROOF OF PURCHASE

There is no receipt or proof-of-purchase documentation required to file a claim, but affected customers must describe and identify the non-grocery item purchased with the additional 1% surcharge.

They must also make this statement under oath and by signing at the bottom of the form, as attorney Michael Fuller said. Oregon live.

Fuller also said the court could request more information from some customers after reviewing complaint forms, such as the address of the store they visited, paper receipts or debit and credit card statements.

With the potential added verification processes, a longer wait may be required for eligible class members to receive payments.

PAYMENT AMOUNT

An estimated payment amount of $200 per claimant was given in the settlement.

This amount will vary depending on the number of complaints submitted and approved.

Customers can select how they will receive funds when filing a claim, whether through digital payment services or by check in the mail.

WinCo isn’t the only retailer sending cash distributions to customers due to a settlement.

Walgreens recently agreed to $918 payments sent to some Americans following a class action lawsuit.

Walmart also reached a $45 million settlement that could see one-time payments of $500 for customers.