Amazon, Walmart Face Data Requests in DOJ Beef Antitrust Probe

(Bloomberg) -- The US Justice Department expanded its antitrust inquiry of the meatpacking industry by demanding information on surging beef prices from eight major food retailers, including Amazon.com Inc., Costco Wholesale Corp. and Walmart Inc.

In a social media post Tuesday, DOJ said Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, the department's No. 3 official, sent letters last month seeking the price data from Amazon, Costco, Walmart, Albertsons Cos., Kroger Co., the US unit of Koninklijke Ahold Delhaize NV, Publix Super Markets Inc. and Aldi Inc.

In May, the Justice Department said it was examining potential antitrust violations in meatpacking. The agency normally conducts investigations privately, but President Donald Trump publicly requested the probe last year amid record beef prices. Woodward is overseeing antitrust enforcement at DOJ while the Senate considers Trump's nominee for the role.

Woodward, in letters dated July 14, asked the grocers to supply investigators with details about their beef purchasing and strategy, as well as retail pricing, profit margins and market analysis, for the past six years.

The grocers and the Justice Department didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.

Beef prices have repeatedly topped records, making it one of the biggest drivers of food inflation. Ground beef averaged $7.116 a pound in July, plateauing slightly but remaining near an all-time high, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Trump has tried to tamp down prices before the midterm elections in November, and most recently announced he would allow as much as 300,000 metric tons of imports at lower tariff rates over the next 90 days to boost supplies.

Walmart said in July that it would cut prices of seasonal products, including beef.

With assistance from Matt Day and Jaewon Kang.