What the lawsuit says
Regulators say Dollar General rang up higher prices at the register than those posted on shelves, on price labels, and in advertisements. The filing claims the pattern spans thousands of locations and resulted in millions of dollars in unlawful overcharges because controls to prevent it were lacking.
The complaint also says the company has received "tens of thousands" of consumer complaints about being charged more than advertised, yet has not put policies in place to fix it. Christopher Mufarrige, director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, said, "Dollar General has betrayed the trust of millions of American consumers and imposed significant financial harm on communities and consumers who are already struggling to make their paychecks last."
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Who joined the FTC
The 20 states participating are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah and Wisconsin.
Why investors and shoppers will watch this
A request for comment was not promptly answered by Dollar General. The case lands as shoppers chase discounts while food and gas remain elevated, and officials across the political spectrum look to highlight consumer protection efforts with the midterm election a week away.
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