Washington, D.C. Attorney General Sues Amazon Over Prime Delivery Disparities
Washington, D.C.’s attorney general, Brian Schwalb, filed a lawsuit against Amazon, accusing the company of secretly depriving residents in certain ZIP codes of the nation’s capital from access to Prime’s high-speed delivery. The lawsuit claims that since 2022, Amazon has excluded two historically underserved ZIP codes, 20019 and 20020, from its expedited delivery service while charging Prime members the full subscription price.
According to the lawsuit, Amazon’s decision to stop using its own delivery trucks in these ZIP codes, citing concerns over driver safety, resulted in significantly longer delivery times for residents in those areas. The lawsuit claims that before the change, over 72% of Prime packages in the affected ZIP codes were delivered within two days, but after the change, that number dropped to as low as 24%.
Amazon has denied the allegations, saying that the decision was made to protect the safety of its delivery drivers, who had been targeted by specific and targeted acts of violence and harassment in those areas. The company has also offered to work with the AG’s office to reduce crime and improve safety in the areas.
The lawsuit accuses Amazon of violating Washington, D.C.’s consumer protection laws and asks the court to put an end to the company’s “deceptive conduct.” Amazon has faced prior complaints of disparities in its Prime program, including a 2016 investigation that found Black residents were less likely to be eligible for same-day delivery than white residents.
The case is set to go to trial in June 2025.