A bargain isn’t much of a bargain if the price changes at checkout.

The Federal Trade Commission and 20 states, including Florida, sued Dollar General on October 26, alleging that customers routinely paid more than the prices displayed on shelves, tags and advertisements.

Regulators allege the company received tens of thousands of customer complaints but failed to adequately address the discrepancies. The lawsuit remains pending. Those allegations have not been established by a court.

Dollar General disputes the lawsuit’s portrayal. The company says its goal is complete shelf-to-register price accuracy, that discrepancies occasionally happen and that employees are expected to correct them. It also says it has strengthened its pricing processes and intends to defend the case.

For shoppers stretching a household budget, the practical takeaway is simple: compare your receipt with the advertised prices and raise discrepancies with store staff. Suspected deceptive practices can also be reported through the FTC’s official reporting portal.

Have you ever caught a checkout price that didn’t match the shelf?

File photo: Dollar General store in Dothan, Alabama, via WTVY (July 2020). This is a file image, not a location identified in the lawsuit.

Siri Alexander
Published by WHH Media Network