The recent news that the price of eggs skyrocketed by an unprecedented 150% in January, as reported by the Bureau of Labour Statistics, is certainly a cause for alarm. With farmers and antitrust advocates voicing their concern over the power of top agriculture firms to set prices, now Walmart stands accused of massive price gouging. The big-box retailer was said to have charged customers inflated rates during this abnormally high egg-price boom – and has been ordered to issue half-a-thousand dollar store credits back to those they allegedly defrauded! Let’s investigate.
The news that a major big-box retailer has been accused of charging customers illegally inflated rates and ordered to issue store credits back to those they allegedly defrauded has sent shockwaves through retail consumers.
Since February 15, 2023 when it was first posted on Facebook, the news has quickly gone viral. The post reads, “W*Mart Eggs were sold for illegal prices! W*Mart hands out ~500﹩ Store Credit~ to customers to make it up 👉 Answer 4 questions to collect”
Given the magnitude of money involved, it is well worth looking further into this allegation to see if it proves to be true. Consumers who have been caught up in this story are anxiously awaiting a further update from official sources as soon as possible.
If you click the “Apply now” link in the post, you are taken to a page called “Walmart Eggs Settlement Program!” that shows Walmart’s logo and informs users they can receive a “$500 Walmart Gift Card.”
Who wouldn’t want a $500 gift card especially with accusations of price gouging in the egg industry that have been widely reported after prices dramatically increased due to a number of factors.
Inflation, as well as supply chain challenges and a devastating avian flu outbreak, have only compounded the issue.
While a federal lawsuit was filed in California alleging that certain companies were manipulating prices, no decisions or agreements have been made yet.
Furthermore, members of Congress are taking the matter into their own hands by addressing concerns to egg companies and requesting information regarding their pricing models.
It remains to be seen what measures will be taken in response to this pricing crisis as for this case, with Walmart, the Facebook page “Food Checks” cited in the post is not affiliated with Walmart, and when clicking “Apply Now” the website you’re taken to does not mention that Walmart was selling eggs at illegal prices as the Facebook post declared.
It simply reads, “you have been chosen to participate in this survey. It will only take a minute of your time and you can receive a fantastic compensation: $500 Walmart Gift Card! Only for those living in the United States! This survey aims to check if you’re eligible for the $500 Walmart Gift Card.”
So who is “Food Checks”?
Based on its Page transparency section, the page was created on February 15, 2023, the same day as the post. As of February 17, 2023, there were only three posts on the page.
Another red flag is the web address of the site where the 4 question survey resides.
According to the URL for the site, it begins with 44qwerty.info, and appears not to be affiliated with Walmart.
Walmart only awards gift cards through a survey located at survey.walmart.com through direct invitations found on receipts from their stores. According to Walmart they do not give away gift cards through Twitter, Facebook, or text message.
Recently, reports have surfaced that Walmart has been selling eggs at “illegal prices” and offering consumers $500 in store credit to “make it up”. However, there is no evidence to support this claim. Similar claims about Walmart and other large-volume retailers have been debunked, suggesting the latest report is likely false as well. Furthermore, since Walmart is the world’s largest retailer and actively focuses on customer satisfaction, offering huge sums of store credit to cover any erroneous pricing would be extremely unlikely. Therefore, it is safe to conclude that this rumor is nothing more than another unfounded internet myth.
Let’s continue this conversation, in the comments below.
