StarKist Loses Class Action Appeal in Tuna Antitrust Case (1)

StarKist Co. must face class action antitrust litigation over its alleged scheme to inflate the price of canned tuna by colluding with Bumble Bee Foods LLC and Chicken of the Sea International, a federal appeals court in San Francisco ruled Friday, confronting an issue of first impression.

A divided U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld a decision certifying the case as a class action on behalf of consumers, restaurants that bought tuna from wholesalers, and large retailers that made their purchases directly from StarKist and the other suppliers.

Judge Sandra S. Ikuta, writing for the full court, ...