Tuna Price-Fixing Suits Consolidated

Nine putative class actions and 44 related cases alleging that StarKist
Co., Bumble Bee Foods LLC and Tri-Union Seafoods LLC conspired to fix
prices of canned tuna have been consolidated by the U.S. Judicial Panel
on Multidistrict Litigation. In re Packaged Seafood Prods. Antitrust
Litig., No. 15-2670 (S.D. Cal., order entered December 9, 2015).

The court found that the actions “share factual questions arising out of an
alleged conspiracy by defendants—the three largest producers of packaged
seafood products in the U.S. with an alleged collective market share
of more than 70%—to fix prices of packaged seafood products.” The court
also noted that the issue is “the subject of an ongoing criminal investigation
by the U.S Department of Justice.” Additional details about one of
the proposed class actions appears in Issue 574 of this Update.

Issue 588