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(Gray News) – Eight of the country’s largest grocery store chains are now under federal investigation over their beef prices.
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Ahold Delhaize USA, Albertsons, Aldi, Amazon, Costco, Kroger, Publix and Walmart were named in an expanded investigation by the Department of Justice Antitrust Division.
The investigation into rising beef prices and the meatpacking industry was announced in May, Forbes reported.
The companies originally named in the investigation included Cargill, Tyson Foods and the primarily Brazilian-owned JBS and National Beef. Those companies control about 85% of the processing market, according to Forbes.
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Tyson has already agreed to pay $82.5 million to settle a class-action lawsuit that accused the company of conspiring to restrict supply and inflate beef prices in the U.S., Reuters reported.
Letters sent to the newest round of companies were made public this month, following an announcement from the Department of Justice.
The companies were asked to explain to officials their pricing strategy and margins for beef products, their costs for the products, wholesale arrangements with meatpackers and retail trends in beef markets.
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