Walmart customers may want to inspect the contents of their frozen shrimp bags more carefully.
The retail giant is the target of a proposed class-action lawsuit alleging that Great Value frozen shrimp contains less seafood than the package label promises.
Illinois shopper Elijah Baptist claims that, after the shrimp’s protective ice coating is removed, some packages contain as much as 11 percent less seafood than advertised.
Baptist says he purchased Walmart’s shrimp regularly for about three years before allegedly discovering the shortfall.
According to the complaint, his frustration peaked after he bought the product for a party he hosted in June.
The lawsuit focuses on two-pound bags of raw, tail-on jumbo shrimp, which sell for roughly $16 and are marketed as containing 21 to 25 shrimp per pound.
The complaint alleges that around 10 percent of the package weight may actually consist of an icy glaze covering the shrimp.
Using a thin layer of frozen water to protect shrimp from freezer burn is common in the seafood industry and is not inherently improper.
Walmart is facing a proposed class-action lawsuit alleging that Great Value frozen shrimp contains less seafood than promised on the package label
Baptist’s argument is that consumers should not be charged for the protective coating as if it were edible seafood.
The lawsuit claims that some Walmart shrimp packages contain up to 11 percent less shrimp than the stated net weight after thawing and draining.
For someone purchasing six pounds of shrimp for a 10-person seafood dinner, the alleged difference could mean approximately 15 fewer shrimp and about $5 worth of missing product, according to the complaint.
Baptist says he would not have purchased the shrimp—or paid the same price—if he had known how much seafood the bags actually contained.
At the heart of the case is a familiar seafood-processing technique known as “glazing.”
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Although an ice coating may be used legitimately, the Food and Drug Administration says the weight of that glaze should not be counted as part of the seafood’s net weight.
In other words, a bag may appear substantially full in the freezer, only for part of its weight to vanish into the sink as the ice melts.
The lawsuit alleges that Great Value shrimp fails to comply with those requirements and accuses Walmart of unfair and deceptive business practices.
The allegations focus on “glazing,” a process in which shrimp is covered with a protective layer of ice. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says that glaze should not be included in the seafood’s net weight (stock image)
The lawsuit alleges that Walmart’s Great Value shrimp does not comply with rules governing “glazing” and accuses the retailer of unfair and deceptive business practices
Walmart has rejected the suggestion that it intentionally leaves seafood buyers with less product than they paid for.
A Walmart spokesperson told Our News Outlet that the company maintains policies designed to ensure suppliers provide products with accurate labels.
The spokesperson added that Walmart is reviewing the complaint and plans to respond in court.
The allegations come after Walmart previously faced a class-action lawsuit concerning the weight of certain food products.
In that case, the retailer agreed to pay $45 million to resolve claims involving allegedly inaccurate weights on meat, poultry and seafood, while admitting no wrongdoing.
The new lawsuit seeks to represent Illinois consumers who purchased Great Value shrimp. It requests damages, restitution and a court order requiring Walmart to change its practices.
Baptist is also seeking a jury trial.
For now, no court has found that Walmart intentionally included excessive ice in the advertised weight, and the allegations remain unproven.
Still, the case may prompt shoppers to question whether their next frozen seafood deal is genuinely a bargain—or simply an expensive bag of very cold water.
