US judge rejects class action over Energizer, Walmart battery prices
ENR•A federal judge rejected class-action status for lawsuits alleging Energizer and Walmart conspired to keep disposable battery prices artificially high. The buyers must pursue claims individually for now, but may refile their certification request with different evidence.
1. Class status rejected
U.S. District Judge P. Casey Pitts ruled that three groups of consumer and wholesale purchasers had not shown key legal and factual issues were common across their proposed classes. The lawsuits, filed in 2023, alleged Energizer agreed to raise wholesale prices for other direct-purchase customers so Walmart could offer lower retail prices.
2. Claims may continue
Pitts said the plaintiffs’ experts’ pricing models could not establish antitrust impact across a class, but declined to bar the buyers from relying on those experts. He allowed them to refile their request for class certification with different evidence. Energizer and Walmart denied wrongdoing.
