Pittsburgh, Mar. 28 - Giant Eagle Inc. is accusing chocolate companies of conspiring to increase prices and stifle competition.
The O'Hara Township-based grocer claims it was overcharged for $200 million worth of chocolate products between 2002 and 2007. The grocer doesn't say by how much it was overcharged it said its suit filed in U.S. District Court.
Defendants are Hershey Co. (HSY); Mars Inc. of McLean, Va.; Nestle SA (NSRGY) of Switzerland; and Cadbury Schweppes PLC (CSG) of London, and subsidiaries. A Canadian network of food distributors, ITWAL Ltd., is also named.
The defendants declined comment.
The suit is at least the fourth filed in the U.S. since last year alleging a chocolate conspiracy.
Giant Eagle operates in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and Maryland.