Are YOU eligible for a $500 payout from Walmart's $45 million class-action settlement? Deadline for shoppers who were overcharged is fast approaching

Walmart shoppers who bought bags of citrus fruit or packs of meat in recent years are being urged to check if they are eligible for a slice of a $45 million settlement.

The deadline for those to file a claim as part of a class-action lawsuit is fast-approaching on June 5, 2024.

Walmart is accused of overcharging customers as its machines inflated the product weight of meats and seafood. 

It is also alleged the store mislabeled the weight of bags of citrus fruit while some items were overpriced despite being close to out-of-date. 

Shoppers who bought the items between October 2018 and January this year could be in-line for as much as $500 - though they must apply here.

Walmart has denied any wrongdoing but agreed to the settlement to avoid legal fees escalating.

Below DailyMail.com rounds up all you need to know about the lawsuit, which is known as Kukorinis v. Walmart.....

Walmart customers who bought bags of citrus fruit or packs of meat and seafood could claim up to $500

Who can claim?

Anyone who bought the items in the settlement between October 19, 2018 and January 19 this year can claim.

The items are mostly packs of meat and seafood such as beef, pork, chicken and fish - and bags of citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruits and tangerines.

A court hearing on June 12 will decide what money claimants get. 

Ahead of that, all Walmart shoppers who think they bought those items in that time need to submit a claim - by June 5.

Walmart has agreed to pay out up to $45 million to customers

How to claim?

You can file a form electronically or download it and mail it.

The forms are on a website set up specially for the class action. The section with the form is here. 

What are the products? 

There are two main categories - weighted goods and bagged citrus.

Weighted goods - a full list is here. In summary, these are packs of meat, poultry, pork and seafood products that have been pre-weighted and labeled with the price. 

Bagged citrus - a full list is here. These are certain organic oranges, grapefruit, tangerines and navel oranges sold in bulk in mesh or plastic bags.

What did Walmart do?

Walmart is accused of overcharging in three ways.

Firstly, it is said to have inflated the product weight of the meats and seafood when they were scanned at the register.

Secondly, it is alleged to have mislabelled the weight of the bags and nets of citrus fruit. The lawsuit says the weight of the fruit was less than it was labelled as.

Thirdly, the retailer is accused of charging too much when these items were put on sale for clearance, for example when they were close to being out of date.

Do I need a receipt? 

You don’t need a receipt to file a claim.

But you might not get as much if you don’t have a receipt - since the amount is capped.

You can access old receipts on Walmart’s website. It has a ‘receipt lookup’ here. You can find receipts by putting in some details like zip code and what was bought.

Walmart customers who bought packs of meat, poultry, pork and seafood products that have been pre-weighted and labeled with the price can claim

How much can I get? 

With a receipt or other proof of purchase which shows prices you can get up to 2 percent of what you paid - up to a maximum of $500.

That is because the prices for packs of meat or bags were about 2 per cent more.

For those without a receipt, the amounts are smaller - and there are caps based on how many items you think you bought.

Those who claim they bought 50 items they get $10. For 51 to 75, it is $15. And for 76 to 100 it is $20. If they say they bought 101 or more, the amount is $25.

How is the money paid? 

Settlements are paid electronically via services like Venmo, Zelle, AXH or virtual pre-paid Mastercard.

Claimants can get a paper check if they cannot receive money electronically.

Is it all confirmed?

The settlement has been agreed by lawyers for Walmart and the shopper who brought the claim. 

But it has not yet been approved by the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida - which is overseeing the case.

A final approval hearing has been scheduled for June 12.