March 11, 2021

Alaska, US, files US$1 billion lawsuit against poultry producers

The Department of Law of Alaska, the United States, has filed a consumer protection lawsuit against 21 businesses in the poultry industry last month for allegedly operating a business cartel that caused inflation in the prices of chicken sold in the state and across the United States.

The lawsuit filed at the state court is seeking more than US$1 billion from Alaska's largest poultry producers, distributors and pricers. The lawsuit involves broiler chickens, which account for 98% of all chicken sold in the US, and seeks for damages, restitution, attorney fees and costs.

Maria Bahr, an assistant attorney general said: "The state alleged a cartel of corporations engaged in an illegal conspiracy to restrain production and manipulate pricing to artificially inflate the price of broiler chicken throughout the United States, including Alaska."

 - AP News