AmeriGas, Blue Rhino Hit With Price-Fixing Class Action Lawsuit

Even with Gibson’s cylinders, each right on the money at 20 pounds, a consumer still has to drive to the company’s warehouse to get that accurate fill. A gallon of propane weighs about 4.2 pounds, so Blue Rhino’s 15 pounds is 3.6 gallons of fuel. And you have to fill the bottle more often, of course, since there is less fuel in it.

Galphin said consumers should inspect the label wrap around the tank – called the “rust belt — to see if moisture has been trapped inside and caused rusting. He said consumers have the option of removing the label to reduce the risk of rust. “The results of our exhaustive review were fully consistent with the principle that consumers who purchase an AmeriGas barbecue cylinder receive everything our company promises to deliver,” he said. But nexAir’s scales showed each of the Blue Rhino and AmeriGas cylinders ranged from 16 pounds to a little as 14 pounds. With safety being our number one priority, the chemical properties of propane restrict us to only fill our tanks to 80% capacity.

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Copyright © 2023 Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, All Rights Reserved. The contents of this website may contain attorney advertising under the laws of various states. The Olive Branch, MS, backyard chef cooks three to four times a week on his gas grill. He meticulously tracks what he cooks each week and how long. The Action News 5 Investigators would have never found out — if we hadn’t been grilling burgers with Richard Rendos. At least they are up front with admitting that under-filling is a cost-saving measure.

To ensure our consumers are properly notified, Blue Rhino clearly marks the amount of propane contained in our tanks, right on the package. When faced with resistance from Wal-Mart, the two companies secretly agreed to coordinate their negotiations, pressuring the retailer https://cryptolisting.org/blog/how-do-blue-rhino-vs-amerigas-tank-prices-compare to accept the reduced fill level. Just bought a new Weber Genesis II S-345 (Costco edition). It being my first LP grill I’m wondering what people’s thoughts are on buying their own tanks and getting them filled vs swapping them at Amerigas/Blue Rhino places.

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We accept all brands of propane tanks and cylinders for exchange. Beware if you plan to use the Blue Rhino tank exchange service for buying propane. Blue Rhino is installing valves on their tanks that can only be refilled by Blue Rhino, meaning that you will be locked into their tank-for-tank service, and won’t be able to get the tank refilled at your local propane dealer. This is not the first class action lawsuit filed against Blue Rhino and AmeriGas with price fixing and antitrust allegations. According to the propane gas class action lawsuit, AmeriGas and Blue Rhino control 80 percent of the propane gas market.

• The AmeriGas class action lawsuit was filed by Cefo Enterprise Corp., which operates an ACE Hardware in Middleburg Heights, Ohio, and purchases propane exchange tanks from AmeriGas and Blue Rhino that it sells to its customers.
• I also needed a different connection; mine was the sliding sleeve quick connect connection that Weber was selling.
• He swears no two 20-lb propane grilling cylinders are ever the same.
• So there is a chance that you can find (or end up with by chance) a tank from Blue Rhino that is OPD and is refillable at your local propane dealer.
• Lowe’s, Blue Rhino’s largest customer, agreed to the 15-pound tanks but only if all other retailers went along with it, according to the complaint.
• This is not the first class action lawsuit filed against Blue Rhino and AmeriGas with price fixing and antitrust allegations.

If you are Alan, you go to a near-by filling station and refill the bottle. There’s a Shell station close by with gas-refilling capability. From grilling and tailgating to generators and patio heating, we’re wherever you need us! With over 54,000 locations nationwide, find AmeriGas propane at your favorite hardware or home improvement store, convenience store, gas station, and more.

Propane Tank Disposal Made Easy

We reduced the amount of propane in our tanks from 17 pounds to 15 pounds. We purchased the Gibson tanks directly from its warehouse at 3542 Lamar Ave. since it does not sell its consumer propane through retailers. We bought the Blue Rhino and AmeriGas cylinders from random retailers, including home improvement centers, gas stations and drug stores.

The Federal Trade Commisstion (FTC) issued a complaint against Blue Rhino and AmeriGas in March over the agreement by the two companies to reduce the amount of propane in the tanks. Approved cylinders must have triangular valves with “OPD” etched on them. If the valve is either circular or flower-shaped, it is an illegal cylinder. A closer look at both the Blue Rhino and AmeriGas cylinders revealed the companies disclose right on their labels that they fill only to a net weight of 15 pounds.

Get your Propane Tank Delivered Right to You

The decision about propane tank exchange vs refill is less about what is the better option, and more a matter of convenience vs price. So, is it cheaper to exchange a propane tank or refill it? When retailers sell propane tanks to customers, the customers bring the tanks back when the tank is empty in exchange for a filled tank.