9 Of The All-Time Biggest Meat Industry Lawsuits - Tasting Table

"Unless you're among the roughly 13% of Americans who follow a vegan or vegetarian diet, the chances are you interact with the meat industry pretty regularly. Grocery store aisles and restaurant menus are filled with everything from fresh chicken to pork sausages and beef burgers. Meat is a normal, everyday part of most people's lives. But the industry that is responsible for producing all of this animal protein is far from perfect."

"In fact, over the years, some of the world's biggest meat companies have been involved in some pretty major lawsuits. Plenty of these lawsuits surround overcharging consumers through price-fixing, but others include wrongful death, corruption, greenwashing, and even terrible smells. Below, we are lifting the veil on the meat industry's pretty scandalous past. Keep reading to dive into some of the all-time biggest lawsuits to impact the meat industry, most of which involve paying out millions of dollars in compensation."

"The U.S. beef industry is huge. According to Fortune Business Insights, it was valued at more than $113 billion in 2025. Despite its size, only a few key companies compete for the biggest slice of the market; among them are Tyson Foods, National Beef Packing Company, JBS, and Cargill. But they may not always play fair. According to a lawsuit, all of these beef producers are accused of price fixing."

Most consumers regularly interact with the meat industry through grocery stores and restaurants. Major meat companies have faced numerous large lawsuits, including overcharging consumers via price-fixing, wrongful death, corruption, greenwashing, and odor complaints. The U.S. beef industry was valued at more than $113 billion in 2025 and is dominated by a few large firms such as Tyson Foods, National Beef Packing Company, JBS, and Cargill. Several beef producers have been accused of colluding to fix prices and artificially raise profit margins, prompting class actions and multi-million-dollar settlements that compensate affected consumers.

Read at Tasting Table