New lawsuit says Costco raised its prices in response to tariffs – and wants to keep tariff refunds for itself

A new class action lawsuit accuses Costco of unjustly profiting from tariffs that were later deemed unlawful by the Supreme Court. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, claims Costco raised prices on imported goods between February 2025 and February 2026 to cover the cost of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. Now that the Supreme Court has ruled those tariffs unlawful and businesses are eligible for refunds, the plaintiffs allege Costco intends to keep the refunded money rather than reimburse the customers who initially paid the inflated prices.

Lawyers for the plaintiffs argue that Costco CEO Ron Vachris’s plan to use the refunds for future price cuts does not adequately compensate those who bore the financial burden of the tariffs. They contend this constitutes “unjust enrichment,” as Costco is pursuing its own litigation to recover the duties without promising to redistribute the funds to affected customers. Evidence supporting the claim includes Costco’s own statements during earnings calls acknowledging the impact of tariffs on pricing, and the fact that prices were lowered on some items when tariff pressures eased.

The lawsuit seeks to cover all U.S. shoppers who purchased goods subject to the tariffs at Costco during the relevant period. As of the time of this report, Costco has not yet issued a formal comment on the litigation.

(Source：The Independent)