The Justice Department said yesterday (October 19th) that Starkist had agreed to plead guilty to price fixing in an investigation of collusion in the canned tuna industry. Starkist could face up to a $100 million fine. Prosecutors charge that the industry’s top three companies conspired between 2010 and 2013 to keep prices artificially high. Bumble Bee pled guilty to the same charge last year and paid a $25 million fine.
Chicken of the Sea was protected from criminal prosecution in exchange for their cooperation after company executives told federal investigators what was going on. The three companies are also facing lawsuits from wholesalers, food service companies and retailers including Walmart, Target and Kroger over the price fixing.
