Walmart To Pay $2.1M For Overcharging California Customers
LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Walmart has agreed to pay the state of California $2.1 million for overcharging consumers.
The self-proclaimed rollback leader was found to be in violation of a 2008 judgment that required the retail giant to resolve errors in pricing at checkout stands.
"Consumers should feel confident that the price on the shelf will be the same price they are charged at the cash register," Attorney General Kamala D. Harris said in a statement. "Californians who shop at Walmart should know they have the right to ask for the appropriate discount.
A 2005 investigation by county Departments of Weights and Measures across the state found that 164 Walmart stores in 30 counties were scanning items at a higher price than advertised on store shelves and signs. A 2008 judgment stipulated that consumers who were overcharged at the cash register should have immediately received $3 off the lowest advertised price of the item or, if the price was less than $3, for free.
A November 2010 investigation by the Departments of Weights and Measures found continued errors in pricing at Walmart checkout stands in 11 counties.
The $3 off program was originally scheduled to end in November 2012, but has now been extended to November 2013. The retail giant will also be required to put new, large signs describing the policy in English and Spanish at each checkstand at its 180 stores and super centers in California.
Walmart has also agreed to designate a person at every store to ensure pricing accuracy.
