Costco Canada faces class-action lawsuit over online pricing

A Quebec law firm has filed a class-action lawsuit against Costco Wholesale Canada, alleging that the retailer is charging customers more for online purchases than it does in stores.
The lawsuit, which was filed in the Quebec Superior Court on behalf of two Quebec residents, alleges that Costco Canada has been engaging in "unfair pricing practices" by charging different prices for identical products depending on whether customers purchase them online or in-store.
The plaintiffs are seeking an injunction ordering Costco Canada to end the practice of charging more online than it does in store, as well as damages for customers who have been overcharged.
The lawsuit alleges that Costco Canada has been overcharging customers for online purchases for at least the past four years. The plaintiffs say they have identified dozens of products that are priced higher online than in stores, including food, electronics, and household items.
In one example, the plaintiffs say that a 24-pack of Kirkland Signature water bottles costs $5.99 in stores, but is priced at $6.99 online. A 12-pack of Kirkland Signature toilet paper costs $14.99 in stores, but is priced at $16.99 online.
"Costco Canada's pricing practices are unfair and misleading," said Jean-François Perrier, a lawyer with Perrier Avocats, the firm that filed the lawsuit. "Customers who purchase products online should not be charged more than customers who purchase the same products in stores."
Costco Canada has not yet commented on the lawsuit.
The lawsuit is the latest in a series of class-action lawsuits that have been filed against Costco in recent years. In 2020, a federal judge approved a $24 million settlement in a class-action lawsuit that alleged Costco was overcharging customers for prescription drugs. In 2019, a class-action lawsuit was filed against Costco alleging that the company was selling products that were past their expiration dates.

If you have purchased products from Costco Canada's website and believe you have been overcharged, you may be eligible to join the class-action lawsuit.

To learn more about the lawsuit, you can contact Perrier Avocats at (514) 934-0666 or by email at [email protected].