WASHINGTON — Family Dollar has agreed to pay $63 million to settle allegations that it routinely charged customers more at the register than the prices on its shelves, CBS News reported.
The Federal Trade Commission and 17 states accused the discount chain of failing to honor prices shown on shelves, price tags, ads, its website and its app. Arizona is not among the states in the complaint, but Family Dollar has stores across Arizona and operates in 48 states.
The proposed order creates a $40 million fund to repay eligible customers who shopped at a Family Dollar store between Jan. 1, 2023, and Oct. 1, 2026. Customers will be notified through in-store notices and online.
A separate $20 million program requires Family Dollar to offer 15% off a range of goods for two days. The order also bans misleading pricing and requires an independently certified pricing accuracy program each year.
“Today’s order will ensure Family Dollar stops deceiving consumers about its prices and returns money to consumers harmed by these practices,” said Christopher Mufarrige, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.
The company did not immediately respond to CBS News’ request for comment. The FTC and 20 states sued Dollar General over similar allegations in October; that case is ongoing.
Sources: CBS News. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: Alabama Extension / CC0 via Wikimedia Commons.
