On Tuesday, February 6, American rappers, Snoop Dogg and Master P filed a lawsuit against American retail corporation Walmart and food manufacturing company Post Consumer Brands for preventing their cereal brand, “Snoop Brand, ” from “reaching consumers.”
The lawsuit alleges that Walmart had been falsely advertising both online and in-store that “Snoop Cereal” was “sold out or out of stock” despite these stores having “several boxes of Snoop Cereal in their stockrooms.” According to Walmart employees, the boxes were coded to not be placed on Walmart shelves. According to the lawsuit, these boxes of “Snoop Cereal” have been locked inside stockrooms, “for months.”
Post Consumer Brands allegedly worked with Walmart to ensure that Dogg and P’s “Snoop Cereal” would be hidden from store shelves. As a result, this caused Dogg and P to not gain profit from their products. Walmart and Post Consumer Brands have since claimed that Broadus Foods, Dogg and P’s food company, owes them money for the products that didn’t sell.
Dogg and P’s civil rights attorney, Ben Crump, who has been representing them in this case, claims that the case is deeper than just corporations failing to uphold their promises of selling celebrities’ products. Crump stated that Dogg and P’s case illustrates the obstacles that minority-owned businesses face while trying to secure, “fair opportunities in the marketplace.” In a recent statement, Crump argued that the actions taken by Walmart and Post Consumer Brands demonstrate the blatant disregard and exploitation that those who are minorities face as entrepreneurs in the business industry. Crump noted that if Black celebrities are facing discrimination in the business industry, Black entrepreneurs and small businesses are bound to be treated far worse, illustrating the racial partisanship and discrimination within American society.
A Walmart spokesperson released a statement to PEOPLE last Thursday stating that a multitude of factors, “affect the sales of any given product” and Walmart will be cooperating with the Court as soon as they receive the complaint.
Similarly, Post Consumer Brands spoke with PEOPLE that they were looking forward to partnering with Broadus Foods and are just as upset that, “consumer demand did not meet expectations.”
Savannah Le, a junior at Roosevelt was asked what her personal opinion on the incident is.
“If Walmart got paid to put it in stores I believe they should,” Le said. “Why have it in stock but not put it out?”
Adrianna Quintero, a frequent Walmart consumer, was left furious by Walmart’s actions.
“It’s definitely discriminatory and racist of Walmart to not put out ‘Snoop Cereals,'” Quintero said. “They claim they weren’t selling but how will they sell if they have them boxed up in the warehouse?”
