Dollar General agrees to 'price check' its Ohio stores, attorney general says
See a recent report on Ohio Dollar General stores temporarily closing in the video player above.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) - Dollar Generals in Ohio have work to do after reaching an agreement with the state attorney general.
NBC4 investigated local stores on claims of discrepancies in their pricing between what was advertised on shelves and what was charged at the checkout lanes. When county auditors looked into the reports and confirmed the issue, Yost sued Dollar General in November for using deceptive pricing practices. Based on testing from the Butler Department of Weights and Measures, the stores were overcharging at rates ranging from 16.7% to 88.2%.
Dollar General denied the accusations in court filings, citing a lack of proof and also referencing other regulations that actually permit them to overcharge. However, following a brief shutdown of its Ohio stores in January, the corporation has reached an agreement with the attorney general.
"This is just a step in the process," Yost said. "Litigation is not over, but this is a step in the right direction."
Butler County Common Pleas Court issued a stipulated order as part of the agreement, which requires Dollar General to take steps to match shelf tags to register prices. Employees at the stores will also have to only charge what was advertised on a store shelf if the customer notices they are being charged more at checkout.
The company will have to train all of its employees on the price match policy and also put signs in its Ohio stores to inform customers about it as well. District managers for Dollar General will also be required to check prices on 25 store products, in each store in the state, every 45 days.
The agreement averts a temporary restraining order that would have forced Dollar General to charge the prices advertised. Dollar General also did not have to admit liability, or that a price discrepancy existed in any instance, as part of the agreement.