Walmart COVID-19 Return Policy Lawsuit to Proceed in Calif. Federal Court

LOS ANGELES — A California federal judge has refused to dismiss a lawsuit accusing Walmart Inc. of imposing a no-return policy on customers during the COVID-19 pandemic without adequately posting the policy in its stores, ruling that the plaintiffs adequately pled a claim for breach of contract.

In a Nov. 6 order, Judge Jesus G. Bernal of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California further ruled that the plaintiffs adequately alleged a violation of a California consumer law requiring retailers to clearly inform customers of return policies.

The plaintiffs, all California citizens, accuse Walmart of changing its …