The Dole Food Co. has settled two class action antitrust lawsuits involving it and two other banana companies, the company announced. The suits filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida alleging a conspiracy to fix prices of bananas between Westlake Village-based Dole, Chiquita Brands International and Del Monte Foods. The allegations are without merit and once the settlement is approved it will not have any effect on Dole’s financial condition, said Michael Carter, executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary. The company continues to cooperate in an investigation by the European Commission into alleged antitrust violation in the European Union, Carter said. “The settlement agreements Dole is announcing today will not be affected by the EC investigation,” Carter said.
