Consumers sue to get Trump tariff refunds after Supreme Court ruling
Mar 3rd 2026
After the Supreme Court struck down IEEPA tariffs, ordinary shoppers have filed class-action suits to try to recover tariff surcharges that companies are seeking back.
- Supreme Court on Feb 20 invalidated tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, affecting an estimated $130 billion to $175 billion in imports.
- More than 1,000 companies, including Revlon and Costco, filed protective suits in the U.S. Court of International Trade seeking refunds.
- Individual consumers filed proposed class actions against FedEx and EssilorLuxottica to claim a share of any refunds for tariff surcharges.
- FedEx said it would return any tariff refunds to shippers and customers, but plaintiffs say that pledge is not a legally enforceable obligation.
- Plaintiffs allege they paid tariff surcharges on purchases, including $36 on shipped tennis shoes and higher prices for Ray-Ban sunglasses.
- A refund process through the Court of International Trade or U.S. Customs will be worked out in coming weeks or months and legal outcomes remain uncertain.