The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Standards Division fined four stores in Forsyth, Mecklenburg and Moore counties for price scanning errors.
“Scanner errors cost consumers money,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “With the holiday season approaching fast, our Standards Division remains vigilant in inspecting stores across the state to ensure consumers are not being taken advantage of.”
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% 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. Consumers who would like to file a complaint about scanner errors they encounter can call the Standards Division at 984-236-4750.
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%-or-less error rate. Additional penalties may be assessed if a store fails reinspection.
Following are civil penalties recorded in the third quarter of 2024:
(Forsyth) Family Dollar at 1425 Waughtown St. in Winston-Salem was fined $10,000 in quarter three for two failed inspections – one in July and one in September. Both inspections found an error rate of 4.33% for 13 overcharges on 300-item lots. An initial inspection of the store in November 2022 found an error rate of 22% for 11 overcharges in a 50-item lot. Follow up inspections in January, April, June, August and October 2023 and January, March and May of this year found error rates ranging from 8.67% to 4.33% on overcharges in 300-item lots. The store will be reinspected.
(Forsyth) Circle K at 1400 Union Cross Road in Kernersville was fined $1,140 after failing inspection in August. The inspection found an error rate of 6% for six overcharges on a 100-item lot. An initial inspection in May found three overcharges on a 25-item lot – an error rate of 12%. The store will be reinspected.
(Mecklenburg) Family Dollar at 4455 Central Ave. in Charlotte was fined $4,340 in quarter three for failed inspections. An initial inspection in June found an error rate of 5% for five overcharges on a 100-item lot. A second inspection in July found an 8% error rate for 24 overcharges on a 300-item lot. An inspection in September found an error rate of 4.67% for 14 overcharges on a 300-item lot. The store will be reinspected.
(Moore) Advanced Auto Parts at 1800 North Sandhills Blvd. in Aberdeen was fined $495 after failing inspection in July. An initial inspection in June found an error rate of 6% for three overcharges on 50 items. A second inspection in July found an error rate of 3% for nine overcharges on a 300-item lot. The store was fined $495. The store passed inspection in September with a 0% error rate.
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