The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Standards Division has collected fines from stores in Moore, Alamance, Mecklenburg, Onslow, Richmond and Sampson counties because of excessive price-scanner errors.
Dollar General #4421 at 141 Robbins Town Center, Robbins, paid $457.50 in penalties. An initial inspection in July found an error rate of 8 percent, based on four overcharges in a 50-item lot. A second inspection in August found an error rate of 3.33 percent, based on ten overcharges in a 300-item lot. The store passed inspection in October.
“We want consumers to be confident the price on the shelf matches the price that’s scanned at the register,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “Stores have a responsibility to make sure their pricing is accurate, and most stores pass inspection. Ones that don’t are fined until they come into compliance. Consumers who would like to file a complaint about scanner errors can call the Standards Division at 919-707-3225.”
The department conducts periodic, unannounced inspections of a business’ price-scanner system 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-percent error rate on overcharges, inspectors discuss the findings with the store manager and conduct a more intensive follow-up inspection at a later date. Undercharges are also reported, but do not count against a store.
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-percent-or-less error rate. Additional penalties may be assessed if the store fails a re-inspection. Following are stores other state stores that paid civil penalties in the fourth quarter of 2017:
~(Richmond) Wal-mart #1010 at 720 U.S. 74 East, Rockingham, paid a total of $3,230 in penalties. An initial inspection in June found an error rate of 5 percent, based on five overcharges in a 100-item lot. A second inspection in August found an error rate of 3 percent, based on nine overcharges in a 300-item lot. The store paid $1,350 in penalties. A third inspection in October found an error rate of 3 percent, based on nine overcharges in a 300-item lot. The store paid $1,880 in penalties. The store passed inspection in December.
~(Alamance) Kmart #4961 at 529 Huffman Mill Road, Burlington, paid $900 in penalties. An initial inspection in July found an error rate of 4 percent based, on four overcharges in a 100-item lot. A second inspection in August found an error rate of 3.33 percent, based on 10 overcharges in a 300-item lot. The store will be re-inspected.
~(Mecklenburg) Save-A-Lot #574 at 3033 Freedom Drive, Charlotte, paid $5,000 in penalties. An initial inspection in August found an error rate of 14 percent, based on seven overcharges in a 50-item lot. A second inspection in September found an error rate of 6.67 percent, based on 20 overcharges in a 300-item lot. The store passed inspection in November.
~(Mecklenburg) Super Target #2132 at 12830 Walker Branch Road, Charlotte, paid $1,980 in penalties. An initial inspection in August found an error rate of 3 percent based on three overcharges in a 100-item lot. A second inspection in September found an error rate of 4 percent, based on 12 overcharges in a 300-item lot. The store passed inspection in November.
~ (Onslow) Kmart #3815 at 175 Freedom Way, Jacksonville, paid a total of $4,785 in penalties. An initial inspection in May found an error rate of 3 percent, based on three overcharges in a 100-item lot. A second inspection in June found an error rate of 3 percent, based on nine overcharges in a 300-item lot. The store paid $720 in penalties. A third inspection in August found an error rate of 2.67 percent, based on eight overcharges in a 300-item lot. The store paid $1,595 in penalties. A fourth inspection in October found an error rate of 4.67 percent, based on 14 overcharges in a 300-item lot. The store paid $2,470 in penalties. A fifth inspection in December found an error rate of 2.33 percent, based on seven overcharges in a 300-item lot. The store was assessed $2,280 in penalties at that time and will be re-inspected.
~(Sampson) Dollar General #11032 at 6934 Plain View Highway, Dunn, paid $345 in penalties. An initial inspection in August found an error rate of 6 percent, based on three overcharges in a 50-item lot. A second inspection in September found an error rate of 2.33 percent, based on seven overcharges in a 300-item lot. The store passed inspection in November.
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