The U.S. Department of Justice expanded its antitrust investigation into beef prices on September 2, expanding the department of justice beef probe to eight major retailers including Walmart, Costco, and Amazon, according to a statement from Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward. The expansion signals that investigators are broadening their scrutiny beyond meatpackers to examine how grocers may be contributing to record-high beef prices that have strained consumer budgets.
Woodward sent letters last month to the eight retailers—Walmart, Costco, Amazon, Kroger, Publix, Albertsons, Aldi, and Ahold Delhaize USA—requesting data on recent increases in retail beef prices. The move extends a criminal antitrust investigation that began in May 2026, when the Trump administration confirmed it was examining potential collusion and price-fixing among the nation’s largest meatpackers: Tyson Foods, Cargill, JBS USA, and National Beef Packing Company, which together slaughter about 85% of U.S. grain-fattened cattle.
Beef prices have become a flashpoint for consumer affordability concerns. U.S. beef prices hit a record high in May 2026 and have been straining household budgets already pressured by rising living costs and gasoline prices linked to Middle East conflict. The USDA’s Economic Research Service forecasts beef and veal prices will rise 9.8% in 2026, compared with a 2.5% increase for food purchased at home overall. Ground beef prices have climbed 12.4% year-over-year, while steaks have risen 11.4%, according to recent market data.
The investigation’s expansion to retailers comes after earlier enforcement actions against meatpackers. Tyson Foods agreed in January 2026 to pay $82.5 million to settle a proposed class-action lawsuit brought by grocers and other businesses that accused it of conspiring to inflate U.S. beef prices by restricting supply. The DOJ has also been examining whether data-sharing practices among meatpackers—such as weekly pricing reports—enabled anticompetitive conduct in the broader meat market.
The Trump administration has made affordability a central focus, with President Trump directing the DOJ in November 2025 to investigate meatpacking companies after accusing them of using “manipulation and collusion” to drive up prices. The expansion to retailers suggests investigators are now examining whether grocers themselves may be taking advantage of supply constraints or engaging in practices that sustain elevated prices at the checkout counter. The retailers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Sources
- Reuters — confirmed the DOJ’s expansion to eight retailers, the names of the companies, and details on Tyson Foods’ settlement and meatpacker market share.
- Bloomberg — reported the expansion and the letters sent by Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward.
- USDA Economic Research Service — provided the 9.8% beef price forecast for 2026 and the 2.5% comparison figure for food at home.
- Fox Business and industry reports — documented ground beef price increases of 12.4% year-over-year and steak increases of 11.4%.
- Wall Street Journal and The Hill — reported the criminal antitrust investigation into the Big Four meatpackers and the May 2026 confirmation of the probe.
