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Shopper sues Walmart, alleging frozen shrimp packages weigh less than advertised

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 3 outlets across the spectrum.

3 articles in total. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

Elijah Baptist has filed a class action lawsuit against Walmart in Illinois, alleging that some frozen shrimp packages contain up to 11 percent less shrimp than advertised once the ice glaze is removed. The suit, which was filed on October 8 and is described through Top Class Actions, says a six-pound purchase for a party of 10 would have yielded about 15 fewer shrimp, or about $5 of product. It argues that FDA guidelines exclude the glaze from net weight. Walmart says it has policies to ensure suppliers label products correctly and will respond in court. The company recently agreed to pay $45 million to customers in a separate food-weight lawsuit.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. Elijah Baptist has sued Walmart in Illinois, alleging some frozen shrimp packages hold up to 11 percent less shrimp than advertised once ice is removed.

    Reported byFar Left1Center1Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    The Daily Beast
    Center
    NewsNation
    Right
    New York Post

  2. The lawsuit argues that FDA guidelines do not allow the ice glaze on the shrimp to count toward net weight.

    One outletNewsNation· Center

  3. According to the lawsuit, a six-pound purchase for a party of 10 would have contained about 15 fewer shrimp, worth about $5.

    Reported byFar Left1Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    The Daily Beast
    Right
    New York Post

  4. A Walmart spokesperson said the company has policies to ensure suppliers provide correctly labeled products and will respond to the complaint in court.

    Reported byFar Left1Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    The Daily Beast
    Right
    New York Post

  5. Walmart agreed to pay $45 million to customers in a separate food-weight lawsuit.

    Reported byFar Left1Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    The Daily Beast
    Right
    New York Post

What is contested

Where accounts differ

Points the coverage does not agree on, and who says what.

  • Walmart’s frozen shrimp packages weigh up to 11 percent less than advertised once the ice glaze is removed, and the glaze should not count toward net weight.

    The lawsuit argues that FDA guidelines exclude the glaze from net weight. Walmart says it has policies to ensure correct labeling and will respond in court. None of the supplied coverage reports an independent weight test.

How each side tells it

Compare views

All three outlets report that Elijah Baptist has sued Walmart, alleging frozen shrimp packages hold up to 11 percent less than advertised. The main difference is tone: the Post calls it a sneaky trick, the Daily Beast says scrimping, while NewsNation reports the allegation neutrally.

  • the left

    1 outlet

    The Daily Beast frames it as a consumer-versus-giant story, using the word Scrimping in the headline and recalling Walmart’s $45 million settlement in its lead.

    Walmart Shopper Files Lawsuit Over Shrimp Loaded verb“Scrimping”Scrimping implies intentional cheating, which the lawsuit has not established.More neutral: Shrimp WeightDisagree with this highlight?
    The Daily BeastFar LeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    1 outlet

    NewsNation attributes the allegation to the lawsuit and labels the piece a report, centering the Illinois consumer and the ice-glaze question.

    Walmart lawsuit alleges Illinois consumers overpaid for shrimp: Report
    NewsNationCenterAll center headlines

  • the right

    1 outlet

    The New York Post frames it as deliberate deception, calling it a sneaky trick to skimp on shrimp, and states the plaintiff’s ice-weight claim in its headline.

    Walmart is using a Sensational language“sneaky trick”Sneaky trick describes deliberate deception, which the lawsuit alleges but has not proven.More neutral: Walmart shrimp packages allegedly weigh less than labeledDisagree with this highlight? to Loaded verb“skimp”Skimp implies intentional cost-cutting, which is the claim at issue rather than an established fact.More neutral: allegedly give less shrimpDisagree with this highlight? on shrimp: lawsuit
    New York PostRightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left1

    scrimping

  • Center0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

  • Right3

    scrimpingsneaky trickskimp

In the outlets’ own words

  • Loaded verb

    scrimpingMore neutral: allegedly selling less shrimp than advertised

    Scrimping implies intentional cheating, which the lawsuit has not established.

    Walmart is being sued for allegedly scrimping on shrimp, with one pescophile saying the retail giant has been inflating the weight…

    Used byNew York Post (Right)The Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Sensational language

    sneaky trickMore neutral: Walmart shrimp packages allegedly weigh less than labeled

    Sneaky trick describes deliberate deception, which the lawsuit alleges but has not proven.

    Walmart is using a sneaky trick to skimp on shrimp: lawsuit

    Used byNew York Post (Right)

  • Loaded verb

    skimpMore neutral: allegedly give less shrimp

    Skimp implies intentional cost-cutting, which is the claim at issue rather than an established fact.

    Walmart is using a sneaky trick to skimp on shrimp: lawsuit

    Used byNew York Post (Right)

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

1 outlet

Leads with

  • the shopper’s disappointment
  • Walmart’s $45 million settlement
  • the company’s response
See the headline from the leftHide the headlines
  • The Daily BeastFar Left

    Walmart Shopper Files Lawsuit Over Shrimp Loaded verb“Scrimping”Scrimping implies intentional cheating, which the lawsuit has not established.More neutral: Shrimp WeightDisagree with this highlight?

    A Walmart shopper is suing the retail and grocery giant, alleging it used less shrimp than advertised. Elijah Bapitsit said Walmart’s frozen shrimp packages have up to 11 percent less shrimp than advertised once ice is removed. …

    Read at The Daily Beast (opens in a new tab)

From the center

1 outlet

Leads with

  • the ice glaze and FDA guidelines
  • the Illinois filing
  • the Great Value brand
See the headline from the centerHide the headlines
  • NewsNationCenter

    Walmart lawsuit alleges Illinois consumers overpaid for shrimp: Report

    (NewsNation) — Walmart is the subject of a recent class action lawsuit after a consumer alleged that ice was factored into the weight of shrimp he purchased. Plaintiff Elijah Baptist filed the lawsuit in Illinois on Oct. …

    Read at NewsNation (opens in a new tab)

From the right

1 outlet

Leads with

  • a deliberate trick
  • the retail giant
  • the cost to a party host
See the headline from the rightHide the headlines
  • New York PostRight

    Walmart is using a Sensational language“sneaky trick”Sneaky trick describes deliberate deception, which the lawsuit alleges but has not proven.More neutral: Walmart shrimp packages allegedly weigh less than labeledDisagree with this highlight? to Loaded verb“skimp”Skimp implies intentional cost-cutting, which is the claim at issue rather than an established fact.More neutral: allegedly give less shrimpDisagree with this highlight? on shrimp: lawsuit

    Walmart is being sued for allegedly Loaded verb“scrimping”Scrimping implies intentional cheating, which the lawsuit has not established.More neutral: allegedly selling less shrimp than advertisedDisagree with this highlight? on shrimp, with one pescophile saying the retail giant has been inflating the weight of sacks of the product with ice.

    Read at New York Post (opens in a new tab)

The stories you read build My Mix, a private picture of which sides cover the stories you choose, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    1 hr 16 min later

    Its first report, Oct 27, 2:31 PM EDT

  • Center

    1 day later

    Its first report, Oct 28, 2:05 PM EDT

  • Right

    First to report

    New York Post, Oct 27, 1:15 PM EDT

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. New York PostRightOct 27, 1:15 PM EDT
  2. The Daily BeastFar LeftOct 27, 2:31 PM EDT
  3. NewsNationCenterOct 28, 2:05 PM EDT

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.

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