Retail customers file lawsuits over tariffs against FedEx and Ray-Bans maker
Retail customers are filing class-action lawsuits against FedEx and EssilorLuxottica (Ray-Ban) to claim a share of refunded tariffs.Summary
Following the Supreme Court's invalidation of tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), retail customers are pursuing class-action lawsuits against companies like FedEx and EssilorLuxottica, the maker of Ray-Ban sunglasses, to secure their share of potential refunds. Over 1,000 companies initially sued to recoup costs from the estimated $130-$175 billion in tariffs. While FedEx pledged to return any refunds to shippers and customers, a lawsuit filed by Matthew Reiser argues this commitment lacks legal enforceability. Similarly, Nathan Ward’s lawsuit alleges EssilorLuxottica continued to charge tariff surcharges even after seeking refunds. Legal experts anticipate more consumer lawsuits, particularly against companies that itemized tariff charges, pressuring businesses to share any secured tax refunds. As Barry Appleton of New York Law School stated, consumers are asking, “if those duties were illegal, why shouldn’t we get our money back too?”
(Source：WTOP)