DOJ Expands Beef Price Probe to Major Retailers Including Walmart, Costco, and Amazon

The U.S. Department of Justice has broadened its antitrust investigation into rising beef prices by sending information requests to eight of the nation’s largest grocery retailers: Kroger, Publix, Walmart, Albertsons, Aldi, Ahold Delhaize USA, Costco, and Amazon. Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward issued the letters in mid-July, seeking six years of data on retail and wholesale pricing, costs, margins, purchasing strategies, and market analyses related to beef products. The move extends an ongoing probe that began with the four dominant meatpackers—Cargill, Tyson Foods, JBS, and National Beef—which control roughly 85% of U.S. beef processing. President Trump directed the investigation in November 2025 amid concerns over possible collusion and price manipulation. Ground beef prices have remained near record highs, averaging around $7 per pound in recent months, up significantly since 2021, while the U.S. cattle herd has shrunk to multi-decade lows due to drought and other factors. The DOJ has already reviewed millions of documents from packers and previously settled a case with data firm Agri Stats over information-sharing practices. Retailers have not yet publicly responded to the requests.