Missouri lawsuit accuses Dollar General of 'deceptive pricing,' seeks restitution
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - A Missouri lawsuit accuses Dollar General of "unfair and deceptive pricing," seeking restitution for customers who were allegedly overcharged on purchases.
The Missouri Attorney General's Office first filed the lawsuit two years ago. A bench trial had been scheduled to begin last week. However, the case has been delayed through a motion for continuance, with a new court date yet to be determined.
The lawsuit contends that Dollar General violated Missouri’s consumer protection laws by advertising one price on the shelves and charging a higher price at the register during checkout.
The lawsuit states, “Dollar General is routinely overcharging Missouri consumers for every day staples and the necessities of life. Worse still, consumers are being deceived as to the prices they are actually paying for these items.”
A Missouri Attorney General investigation, cited in the lawsuit, found that nearly 100 Dollar General locations failed inspections for pricing discrepancies. Overcharges ranged up to $6.50 per item with an average overcharge of $2.71 across more than 5,000 items checked.
Items such as candles, toilet paper, lip balm, lemonade, tire foam and drink coolers were frequently found to cost more at the point of sale than the prices listed on shelves, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit seeks full restitution "to any person who has suffered any ascertainable loss" from alleged overcharges and an injunction prohibiting Dollar General from engaging in alleged "unfair and deceptive practices." It also asks Dollar General to pay fines and forfeit "ill-gotten gains."
Dollar General operates more than 600 stores in Missouri and nearly 20,000 stores nationwide.
