Investigation of Family Dollar and Dollar General prompts lawmakers to double penalties for retailers that repeatedly charge more at checkout than prices listed on shelves
The new state law, which takes effect on 6 May, was introduced in direct response to a Guardian investigation of pricing practices at two national chains, Dollar General and Family Dollar, according to an official who oversees the state’s price-accuracy inspections.
Both dollar-store chains target cost-conscious families, yet their stores often post one price on the shelf and ring up a higher price at the register.
The investigation, published in December, found that Dollar General stores failed more than 4,300 government price-accuracy inspections in 23 states between 2022 and 2025. The smaller Family Dollar chain failed more than 2,100 price-accuracy inspections in 20 states during the same period.
I don’t even think this is intentional. They just under-staff those places so hard that there is no chance that somebody went around any time and updated the prices. I have walked into a half dozen dollar generals, got my stuff and stood at the register for minutes, never even seeing an employee. I could have walked out with a couple shopping carts of stuff unchallenged. Baskets of unshelved items are always stacked in the rows. The GAF is very low when you do see an employee. They must pay minimum wage. Dollar General used to be a pretty good store, so something must have happened in management in the last decade.
If they can pay someone to change the prices in the POS system then they can pay someone to relabel all their shitty products.
This should be felonious for the entire c suite.
I agree. If they can’t afford to man the stores properly, they shouldn’t have stores.
Legit pushing all the stress and responsibility onto a minimum wage employee is insane.