A group of consumers has filed a lawsuit against HP Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P., accusing them of monopolizing the market for replacement ink cartridges by using a firmware update that prevents users from using non-HP cartridges.
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The plaintiffs, who bought HP printers and ink cartridges from the defendants, claim that the firmware update, which was released in September 2023, effectively disables a printer in the event a user installs a non-HP replacement ink cartridge. The plaintiffs allege that this practice is anti-competitive and harms consumers who are forced to buy more expensive HP cartridges or replace their printers.
The plaintiffs seek damages for the alleged violation of federal and state antitrust laws, consumer protection laws, and warranty laws. They also seek an injunction to stop the defendants from continuing their alleged conduct and to restore competition in the market for replacement ink cartridges.
The case was filed on February 6, 2024, in the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts and assigned to Judge Denise J. Casper. The case is still pending and has one document filed so far, which is the notice of removal by the defendants from the state court to the federal court.
The defendants have not yet responded to the allegations in the complaint. HP has previously defended its firmware update as a security measure to protect its customers from counterfeit and unauthorized cartridges that may damage their printers or deliver inferior quality.
The case is one of several lawsuits that have been filed against HP over its printer firmware update. In October 2023, a class action lawsuit was filed in California, alleging similar claims as the Massachusetts case. In November 2023, another class action lawsuit was filed in New York, accusing HP of violating the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, which prohibits manufacturers from voiding warranties if consumers use third-party products or services.
The plaintiffs in the Massachusetts case are represented by the law firm of Richard J. Buccheri, as Trustee of 29 Sunset Point Realty Trust, Mark Mcdevitt, Peter Bukuras, Martin J. Quirk, JR, William Doherty, Fred Cucinatta, and Richard J. Bucherri.
Source: Tonernews
Covered By: Imaging Solution / HP
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