Politics
Arizona, FTC and 19 states sue Dollar General over checkout prices
Arizona has joined a federal lawsuit alleging Dollar General repeatedly charged customers more at checkout than prices posted on shelves and in advertisements. The case, brought by the FTC and a bipartisan coalition of 20 states, says the pricing practices affected millions of purchases and persisted despite consumer complaints.
Arizona has joined the Federal Trade Commission and 19 other states in suing Dollar General, alleging the discount chain routinely charged customers more at checkout than prices displayed on shelves, price tags and advertisements.
The complaint was filed in Tennessee, where Dollar General is headquartered. It alleges the company’s pricing practices misled customers and harmed consumers across the country, including people relying on the retailer’s low-cost offerings. Dollar General operates more than 100 stores in Arizona, including in rural communities.
The states and the FTC say the company also charged more in stores than prices listed in its weekly circulars, which are printed in newspapers, mailed to customers and posted online. According to the complaint, Dollar General had received tens of thousands of complaints from consumers who said stores did not honor marked prices but failed to resolve the problem.
FTC investigators conducted undercover purchases at Dollar General locations in several states earlier this year. The complaint says every purchase resulted in a charge above the advertised price.
“Dollar General has ripped off Arizonans by systematically charging more for products than they advertised,” Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said in a statement announcing the state’s participation on Oct. 26. She said her office would challenge practices that take financial advantage of communities with limited means.
The case puts scrutiny on a retailer that markets itself as a source of convenience and value and sells some items for $1 or less. The coalition’s allegations have not been established in court.