St. Paul, MN-
By ANUK Staff
2.14.13
On Wednesday, a federal appeals court revived antitrust claims against C&S and SuperValu Inc alleging that the companies engaged in a transaction to raise the price of groceries.
A 2003 agreement between SuperValu and C&S to exchange assets in the Midwest and New England and not to compete with each other for customers served by the operations involved is at the heart of the issue.
Representing a setback for wholesalers, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Paul, Minnesota reversed a lower court’s decision dismissing claims brought by five retail grocers, according to Reuters.
Five retail grocers, including King Cole Foods Inc and Blue Goose Super Market Inc, brought class action antitrust claims against either one of the two wholesalers. The claims were made as part of an ongoing lawsuit that claimed the deal between SuperValu and C&S allowed the wholesalers to overcharge retail customers in the Midwest and New England.
