Family Dollar stores in six northeastern N.C. communities and a pair of Dollar General stores have been fined a total of nearly $72,000 by state regulators because of excessive price-scanner errors.
The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Standards Division announced Monday the fines were assessed to Family Dollar stores in Ahoskie, Aulander, Edenton, Hertford, Swan Quarter and Windsor, and the Dollar General stores in Roper and Plymouth.
“Our Standards Division continues to see about a quarter of all price scanner inspections fail and many stores are failing multiple inspections,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “Overcharges cost consumers so we remain vigilant in inspecting stores in order to protect consumers.”
A total of 52 stores in 33 counties were fined because of excessive price-scanner errors.
The department conducts periodic, unannounced inspections of price-scanner systems in businesses to check for accuracy between the prices advertised and the prices that ring up at the register.
If a store has more than a 2-percent error rate on overcharges, inspectors discuss the findings with the store manager and conduct a more intensive follow-up inspection later. Undercharges are also reported, but do not count against a store.
Penalties are assessed if a store fails a follow-up inspection. In addition to the penalties paid, the store will be subject to re-inspection every 60 days from the last inspection until it meets the 2-percent-or-less error rate. Additional penalties may be assessed if a store fails a reinspection.
“Remember it is always a good practice to check your receipt as well as the price on the shelf to make sure you are paying the correct amount and alert managers if the prices don’t match,” Troxler said.
Consumers who would like to file a complaint about scanner errors they encounter, can call the Standards Division at 984-236-4750.
Details of the civil penalties recorded in the fourth quarter of 2022 against stores located in northeastern N.C.:
- (Bertie) Family Dollar at 114 South Commerce St., Aulander paid $10,000 in fines. An initial inspection in August 2022 found an error rate of 14 percent based on seven overcharges in a 50-item lot. The store has failed follow-up inspections in September and November and will be reinspected.
- (Bertie) Family Dollar at 1307 South St., Windsor has paid $10,000 in fines. An initial inspection in August 2022 found an error rate of 32 percent based on 16 overcharges in a 50-item lot. The store has failed follow-up inspections in September and November and will be reinspected.
- (Chowan) Family Dollar at 1823 Virginia Road, Edenton paid $5,000 in fines. An initial inspection in October 2022 found an error rate of 18 percent based on 9 overcharges in a 50-item lot. A follow-up inspection in November found an error rate of 15 percent based on 45 overcharges in a 300-item lot. The store will be reinspected.
- (Hertford Co.) Family Dollar at 1216 East Memorial Drive, Ahoskie paid $10,000 in fines. An initial inspection in August found an error rate of 24 percent based on 12 overcharges in a 50-item lot. The failed two follow-up inspections in September and October. The store also failed a December inspection with an error rate of 31.67 percent based on 95 overcharges in a 300-item lot and was assessed an additional $5,000 fine.
- (Hyde) Family Dollar at 13115 U.S. 264, Swan Quarter paid $8,410 in fines. An initial inspection in August 2022 found an error rate of 26 percent based on 13 overcharges in a 50-item lot. The store failed two follow-up inspections in September and November and will be reinspected.
- (Perquimans) Family Dollar at 206 Ocean Highway, Hertford paid $17,685 in fines. An initial inspection in January 2022 found an error rate of 28 percent based on 14 overcharges in a 50-item lot. The store also failed four follow-up inspections between March and November. The store will be reinspected.
- (Washington) Dollar General at 724 U.S. Hwy. 64 East, Plymouth paid $5,735 for two failed inspections. An initial inspection in August 2022 found an error rate of 34 percent based on 17 overcharges in a 50-item lot. The store also failed inspections in September and November. The store will be reinspected.
- (Washington) Dollar General at 7102 U.S. 32, Roper paid $5,000 in fines for a failed inspection. An initial inspection in August 2022 found an error rate of 16 percent based on eight overcharges in a 50-item lot. A follow-up inspection in September found an error rate of 10.67 percent based on 32 overcharges in a 300-item lot. The store passed inspection in November with a 1 percent error rate.
