These Family Dollar stores around Charlotte were fined again for overcharging customers

Two stores in the Charlotte region were among nine North Carolina retailers fined over $162,325 combined for overcharging customers so far this year.

The stores spanning seven counties were fined for excessive price-scanning errors, the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Standards Division said Wednesday.

One store in Mecklenburg County was fined $12,610 and a Union County store was fined $23,575. Both local retailers are Family Dollars. Both stores also owe an additional $5,000 each in fines that have not yet been paid, NCDA standards division measurement manager Chad Parker told The Charlotte Observer.

Be sure to check that prices at the register match the price on the shelf, Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said in a statement.

In April, the state fined dozens of stores over $256,870 including five stores in the Charlotte region. That brings the combined total of fines so far this year to over $419,195 for dozens of retailers throughout North Carolina for overcharging customers.

Last year, dozens of stores, from AutoZone and Circle K to Walgreens and Walmart, were fined a combined $462,480.

Overcharging in Charlotte-area retail stores

Periodic, unannounced state inspections in retail stores check if shelf and register prices match. Here’s what turned up during the latest round around Charlotte:

▪ Family Dollar at 4005 Sunset Road, Charlotte, paid $12,610 in penalties and owes an additional $5,000 in penalties. An initial inspection in October 2023 found an error rate of 7% based on seven overcharges in a 100-item cart. Follow-up inspections in November 2023 and January, March and May 2024 found error rates from 19.3% to 6.7% based on overcharges of 300 items. The store will be reinspected.

▪ Family Dollar at 7907 Idlewild Road, Indian Trail, paid $23, 575 in penalties for eight failed inspections. An initial inspection in March 2023 found an error rate of 18% based on nine overcharges in a 50-item lot. Follow-up inspections in April, June, August, October and December of 2023, and February and April this year found error rates of 8% to 3% based on overcharges for 300 items. The store was inspected in June and assessed a $5,000 penalty for an error rate of 6.3% based on 19 overcharges in a 300-item cart.

Other stores fined

Other Family Dollar stores throughout North Carolina were also fined, as well as Dollar General, Target and Walgreens.

▪ Family Dollar at 2206 West Webb Ave., Burlington, paid $8,370 in penalties for four failed inspections. An initial inspection in November 2023 found an error rate of 6% based on three overcharges on 50 items. Follow-up inspections in January, March and May found error rates of 7.7%, 8.3% and 3.7% based on overcharges for 300 items. The store will be reinspected.

▪ Family Dollar at 1425 Waughtown St., Winston-Salem, paid $37,345 in penalties for nine failed inspections. An initial inspection in November 2022 found an error rate of 22% for 11 overcharges on 50 items. Follow-up inspections in January, April, June, August, October of 2023 and this year in January, March and May found overcharged error rates of 8.7% to 4.3% on 300 items. The store will be reinspected.

▪ Family Dollar at 550 MLK Blvd., Winston-Salem, paid $52,215 in penalties for 11 failed inspections. An initial inspection in February 2022 found an error rate of 16% based on eight overcharges out of 50 items. Follow-up inspections in April, July, September and November of 2022 and March, June, June August and October of 2023, plus January, March and May of this year found over charge errors from 25.7% to 5% on 300 items. The store will be reinspected.

▪ Walgreens at 2912 Main St., Walkertown, paid $2,295 in penalties. An initial inspection in March found an error rate of 8% based on four overcharges out of 50 items. A follow-up inspection in April found an error rate of 4.3% based on 13 overcharges out of 300 items. The store will be reinspected.

▪ Family Dollar at 1678 Ocean Hwy., Hertford, paid $13,650 in penalties for five failed inspections. An initial inspection in June 2023 found an error rate of 10% based on five overcharges out of 50 items. Follow-up inspections in July, September and November of 2023 and in January this year found error rates from 5% to 4.7% based on overcharges on 300 items. The store passed inspection in March.

▪ Dollar General at 4500 Lebelia Road, Vass, paid $915 in penalties. An initial inspection in February found an error rate of 8% based on four overcharges out of 50 items. A follow-up inspection in March found an error rate of 3.3% based on 10 overcharges out of 100 items. The store passed inspection in May.

▪ Target at 3001 Market Center Drive, Morrisville, paid $1,350 in penalties. An initial inspection in February found an error rate of 9% based on nine overcharges out of 100 items. A follow-up inspection in March found a 2.7% error rate on eight overcharges in a 300-item cart. The store passed inspection in May.

How store inspections work in NC

Stores are fined for failing to meet the 2% or less price scanning error rate, according to the state.

If a store has more than a 2% error rate on overcharges, inspectors talk with the store manager and make a follow-up inspection. Stores are penalized if they fail the follow-up inspection.

Stores are re-inspected every 60 days until meeting the 2%-or-less error rate, and could face additional fines. Undercharges are also reported but don’t count against a store.

What to do about a price scan error?

Along with notifying store employees about price discrepancies, customers who see price scanner errors on their receipts may file a complaint with the state Standards Division. Call 984-236-4750.

NC Reality Check reflects the Charlotte Observer’s commitment to holding those in power to account, shining a light on public issues that affect our local readers and illuminating the stories that set the Charlotte area and North Carolina apart. Have a suggestion for a future story? Email realitycheck@charlotteobserver.com