COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Attorney General, Dave Yost, and Dollar General have reached an agreement to avoid a temporary restraining order sought by Yost against the Tennessee-based retailer over allegations of deceptive pricing. The agreement was reached this week in the Butler County Common Pleas Court and outlines the steps that Dollar General must take to ensure that their prices match the prices displayed on their shelves.
According to Yost, “This is just a step in the process. Litigation is not over, but this is a step in the right direction.” This statement comes after multiple county auditors in Ohio found discrepancies between the prices displayed on the shelves and the prices charged at the checkout. Despite the lawsuit filed by Yost on November 1, 2022, some of the same stores continued to charge more than the prices advertised.
The agreement requires Dollar General to educate its employees about the policy, post signs in its Ohio stores informing customers of the policy, and take steps to correct any price discrepancies that may occur in the future. Additionally, district managers must perform price checks in each Ohio store every 45 days and notify the corporate office if more than five items show discrepancies.
In cases where a customer contends that they are being charged more at checkout than the price displayed on the shelf, employees will be required to charge the shelf price. The agreement also requires Dollar General stores to notify the corporate office in the event that a price verification report indicates a fail rate of more than 2% and discrepancies must then be corrected within two days.
It is important to note that the agreement does not constitute an admission of liability on the part of Dollar General or an admission that a discrepancy exists between the shelf prices and charged prices in any particular instance.
