HP hit with $5M lawsuit after blocking third-party ink cartridges

HP has been hit with a $5M class action lawsuit from customers after they forced a firmware update to printers that blocked the use of third-party cartridges.

Back in 2022, HP released a firmware update for nearly all of their internet-connected printers that made it impossible to use a third-party ink cartridge in the accessory, forcing users to buy HP’s own.

Third-party cartridges are used as a cost-saving measure for many, as it can cost nearly $50 — the same price as a budget printer — to replace them when they become empty.

Now, Ars Technica says that HP has been hit with a $5M class action lawsuit from customers due to blocking third-party ink.

HP facing $5M class action lawsuit over printer ink

In the lawsuit, customers allege that HP “used the software update to create a monopoly” for replacement cartridges. When third-party cartridges are inserted into printers with the updated firmware, they will not work.

The complaint also claims that HP raised the prices of its standalone ink as well as its instant ink subscription service at the same time they pushed out the new software update.

“This is a class action brought against HP, Inc., for requiring consumers who had
purchased certain brands of printers to use only HP-branded replacement ink cartridges, rather
than purchasing ink replacements from its competitors,” it reads.

“HP accomplished this through firmware updates it distributed electronically to all registered owners of the printers at issue in this case in late 2022 and early 2023, which effectively disabled the printer if the user installed a replacement ink cartridge that was not HP-branded.

“In effect, HP used the software update to create a monopoly in the aftermarket for replacement cartridges, permitting it to raise prices without fear of being undercut by competitors.”

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