DoJ requests beef price data from major retailers including Amazon and Walmart

The US Department of Justice has expanded its antitrust investigation into the meatpacking and grocery sectors by formally requesting detailed beef pricing data from eight major food retailers, including Amazon.com Inc., Walmart Inc., Costco Wholesale Corp., and Kroger Co. Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward issued letters requiring these companies to supply comprehensive records covering beef purchasing strategies, retail pricing, profit margins, and market analyses over the past six years. This federal probe follows ongoing consumer and political scrutiny over elevated grocery inflation, with ground beef prices averaging $7.116 per pound in July near historic highs. The investigation originated after presidential calls to probe potential anticompetitive conduct within the protein supply chain. To alleviate supply pressures ahead of midterm elections, the administration also unveiled temporary plans to permit up to 300,000 metric tons of lower-tariff beef imports over a 90-day window. For major grocers and retail conglomerates, the inquiry increases regulatory overhang and could potentially constrain retail markup flexibility. If investigators uncover evidence of margin gouging or anticompetitive coordination, companies may face enforcement actions, fines, or compelled structural changes to pricing strategies.