On Wednesday, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey took legal action against Dollar General, alleging that the company engaged in deceptive and unfair pricing practices in over 600 of its retail locations across the state.
According to a statement from Bailey’s office, the lawsuit claims that Dollar General has violated Missouri’s consumer protection laws by advertising a certain price on the shelf but charging a higher price at the checkout counter.
In order to hold accountable those who violated the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act, Bailey pursued legal action seeking an injunction, full restitution, civil penalties, and other forms of relief.
According to the petition, Dollar General is regularly charging Missouri shoppers more than they should be paying for essential items and everyday necessities. Even more concerning is the fact that these customers are being misled about the actual prices they are paying for these products.
Bailey stated that his office will relentlessly pursue individuals or entities who try to deceive or defraud consumers in Missouri.
During a joint investigation conducted by Bailey’s office and the Missouri Department of Agriculture Weights and Measures Division, it was discovered that out of 147 locations investigated, 92 of them failed inspection. The investigation revealed that price discrepancies ranged up to $6.50 per item, with an average overcharge of $2.71 for the over 5,000 items that were checked by investigators.
The task of monitoring weighing and measuring devices, including price scanners in retail stores, falls under the jurisdiction of the Weights and Measures Division of the Missouri Department of Agriculture.
According to Chris Chinn, the Director of the Missouri Department of Agriculture, one of the crucial aspects of the Weights, Measures and Consumer Protection Division is to maintain price verification and accuracy. This is a primary focus area for the department to ensure that consumers are protected and receive fair pricing.
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