Costco sued by customer seeking refunds for tariff payments

Group 1: Lawsuit Overview - Costco is facing a proposed nationwide class action lawsuit seeking refunds for customers over higher prices charged due to tariffs ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court [1][2] - The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Illinois and aims to ensure that any refunds Costco receives for tariffs are returned to customers who faced higher prices [1][3] Group 2: Supreme Court Ruling - The Supreme Court ruled on February 20 that President Trump overstepped his authority in imposing tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) [2] - This ruling allows companies, including Costco, to seek recovery of tariffs paid for imported goods [2][12] Group 3: Company Position and Future Plans - Costco has not committed to returning any portion of anticipated tariff refunds to consumers, only promising a possible future benefit to an indeterminate group of future shoppers [6] - CEO Ron Vachris indicated that if Costco receives tariff refunds, the company plans to use those funds to lower prices and improve value for shoppers [7] Group 4: Industry Context - Costco is among over 2,000 companies that have filed suits in the U.S. Court of International Trade to recover tariffs paid [3] - FedEx, another major player in the industry, is also facing a similar class action lawsuit regarding tariff refunds [8][9] Group 5: Economic Impact of Tariffs - A study by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found that as of November 2025, U.S. businesses and consumers bore 86% of the tariff burden, while foreign exporters bore 14% [13] - The Congressional Budget Office noted that foreign exporters absorbed about 5% of the tariff costs, with the remaining 95% falling on U.S. firms and consumers [14]