CHARLOTTE, N.C. — North Carolina Department of Agriculture inspectors fined 42 stores, including five in Mecklenburg County, in the first quarter of 2022 for excessive overcharging at the cash register.
State records show the number of stores fined for the problem has nearly doubled in just the last six months. Inspectors believe a widespread staffing shortage coupled with rising costs is making it increasingly difficult for businesses to ensure customers are paying the right price at checkout.
"We believe that it is a labor shortage and an inflation problem," North Carolina Department of Agriculture Standards Division Measurement Manager Chad Parker told WCNC Charlotte in March. "It's just getting very bad right now as far as overcharges go."
The stores that recently paid fines had error rates ranging from 3-40%, according to state inspectors.
North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein said shoppers need to stay vigilant and report any scanner problems to the state Department of Agriculture. The Standards Division can be reached at (984) 236-4750.
"It's not necessarily a violation of the law, but it should be a reason of concern," Stein told WCNC Charlotte. "It's really important to make sure scanners are accurately charging the right price."
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Stein also recommended consumers keep an eye out for companies that advertise one price for an item, but sell it for another. In those cases, which are unrelated to technology at the register, he urged customers to file a complaint with his office.
Complaints received by state inspectors, meanwhile, make a difference too. Just a month after an inspection identified a more than 40% error rate at an Indian Trail Ace Hardware, a re-inspection in April found correct prices more than 98% of the time.
The Helpful Hardware Company previously blamed the original problems on a change in ownership. When WCNC Charlotte questioned the new owner about his plan of action, he promised employees were inspecting the entire inventory to correct any discrepancies and said he was confident inspectors would be satisfied when they returned.
Contact Nate Morabito at nmorabito@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.