Four area stores in Vance County and one in Granville County have racked up more than $20,000 in civil penalties as a result of excessive price-scanner errors, according to information from the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Standards Division.
These five area locations are among 70 stores in 38 counties across the state that were identified by the department’s standards division during the third quarter of 2022.
If it passes reinspection, the Raleigh Road Dollar General will not have to pay the $5,000 it was assessed. It has paid fines for excessive scanner errors earlier in the year. The other four stores – two Family Dollar stores and two Dollar Generals – paid fines ranging from $1,530 to $5,000.
“Our Standards Division continues to see a significant increase in stores with price scanner errors, as many stores continue to deal with staffing shortages,” N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said in a press release announcing the fines.
“During the holidays especially every penny counts, and we want consumers to pay attention during check out. Over the last year we have seen about 26 percent of price scanner inspections fail. It is always a good practice for consumers to check their receipts as well as the price on the shelf to make sure that they are paying the correct amount and alert managers if they are not correct.”
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 re-inspection.
Following is a breakdown of the information provided by the state:
• Family Dollar at 1414 East Andrews Ave. paid $3,715 in fines. An inspection in April found an error rate of six percent based on 18 overcharges in a 300-item lot. The store also failed its previous three inspections and paid additional fines. The store passed inspection in June.
• Family Dollar at 901 South Beckford Drive, Henderson paid $5,000 in fines. An inspection in August found an error rate of 33.33 percent based on 100 overcharges in a 300-item lot. The store also failed four previous inspections and paid additional fines. The store passed inspection in October with zero overcharges.
• Dollar General at 4500 N.C. Highway 39 South paid $1,530 in fines. An inspection in July found an error rate of 6 percent based on 18 overcharges in a 300-item lot. The store passed inspection in September.
• Dollar General at 394 Raleigh Road was assessed a $5,000 fine. An inspection in October found an error rate of 27.67 percent based on 83 overcharges in a 300-item lot. The store also failed three other inspections this year and paid additional fines. The store will be reinspected.
• Granville Dollar General at 108 Highway 15 North, Stovall paid $5,000 in fines. An inspection in October found an error rate of 17.33 percent based on 52 overcharges in a 300-item lot. The store also failed and paid fines for three previous inspections this year. The store will be reinspected.
Consumers who would like to file a complaint about scanner errors they encounter can call the standards division at 984.236.4750.