1-800 Contacts Inc. and a group of class action plaintiffs won preliminary approval from a Utah federal judge for their $15.1 million settlement of claims that the contact lens retailer conspired with leading rivals not to compete on the price of online search engine ads.
Judge Teena Campbell gave the agreement her tentative blessing Wednesday, certifying a conditional settlement class of anyone who made at least one online contact lens purchase during the alleged scheme, which began in 2004. The proposed deal was disclosed last month.
The judge previously gave preliminary approval to a $12 million settlement of claims against Walgreens and Vision Direct Inc., a $5.9 million deal with Luxottica, and a $7 million agreement reached by National Vision Co. and Arlington Contact Lens Service Inc.
She scheduled an Oct. 20 hearing on final approval of all the settlements, which add up to $40 million.
Full Content: Bloomberg
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