Canadians Overpaid for Electronics? $8.9M Settlement Reached

Another day and it seems another class action lawsuit settlement has been reached in Canada. This time, it’s an $8.9 million settlement part of a class action against electronics manufacturers accused of price-fixing.

The lawsuit claims that companies artificially inflated the prices of capacitors—small but essential components used in almost all electronic devices. This allegedly caused Canadians to overpay for products like smartphones, gaming consoles, TVs, and appliances between 1997 and 2014.

So who’s paying up in this settlement? Three Japanese electronics manufacturers, including Rubycon ($7.5 million), Matsuo Electric ($1.2 million) and Shizuki Electric ($225,000), totalling about $8.9 million.

The settlement applies to all eligible Canadian consumers who bought products containing aluminum or tantalum electrolytic capacitors (between 1997-2014) or film capacitors (between 2002-2014). Again, like most class-action payouts, the amounts depend on how many people file claims. These processes usually take quite some time (many are still waiting on Apple’s iPhone class action lawsuit payout).

The settlement funds will not be distributed yet, as the case is still ongoing.

The Court must now decide whether the settlements with Matsuo, Shizuki, and Rubycon are fair, reasonable, and in the best interest of Film Settlement Class Members. Hearings to approve the settlements are scheduled for:

• Ontario Superior Court of Justice – April 22, 2025, at 9:00 AM
• Supreme Court of British Columbia – May 7, 2025, at 9:00 AM PST (virtual hearing)
• Superior Court of Québec (Electrolytic Capacitor Class Action) on April 4, 2025 at 9:15 am, in-person at 1 Notre Dame Street, Montréal, QC in room 17.09 and by virtual hearing.

If you or your family bought electronics during this time, you might be able to claim money once the settlement process is finalized. More settlements may follow before a final payout process is announced on capacitorclassaction.ca.