Costco Faces $5 Million Class Action Over IEEPA Tariff Refunds
Matthew Stockov sued Costco in Illinois federal court, alleging the retailer raised prices on tariffed goods during the IEEPA regime and will pocket Supreme Court-ordered refunds. The proposed class action covers over 100 customers who bought IEEPA-tariffed products between Feb. 1, 2025 and Feb. 24, 2026, seeking $5 million.
1. Lawsuit Filed For Tariff Refunds
On March 13, 2026, plaintiff Matthew Stockov filed suit in the Northern District of Illinois, alleging Costco inflated prices on goods subject to IEEPA tariffs and now seeks refunds without passing savings to consumers.
2. Double Recovery Alleged
The complaint claims Costco raised margins by selectively hiking prices on tariffed imports and would receive a ‘double recovery’ if it keeps government refunds rather than refunding shoppers.
3. Class Action Scope
The proposed class includes over 100 U.S. customers who purchased any IEEPA-tariffed items from Feb. 1, 2025 through Feb. 24, 2026, collectively seeking more than $5 million in refunds.
4. Costco’s Response
Costco has stated that any IEEPA tariff refunds would be used to deliver lower prices and better values for its members, without promising direct compensation to individual shoppers.