Hertford Family Dollar fined $8.7K for failing four price-scanner inspections

A discount retail store in Hertford is one of 14 stores across North Carolina that paid fines during the first quarter of the year for having higher than acceptable scanner-error rates.

The Family Dollar at 1678 Ocean Drive paid $8,775 after failing four price-scanner system inspections, the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Standards Division said in a press release.

The standards division conducts periodic, unannounced inspections of price-scanner systems at businesses 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% error rate on overcharges, inspectors discuss the findings with the store manager and conduct a more intensive follow-up inspection.

Penalties are assessed if a store fails a follow-up inspection, the press release states. In addition to the penalties paid, the store is subject to re-inspection every 60 days until it meets the 2-%-or-less error rate. Additional penalties may be assessed if a store fails a reinspection.

According to the NCDACS, an initial inspection of the Family Dollar in Hertford in June 2023 found an error rate of 10% based on five overcharges in a 50-item lot. Follow-up inspections in July, September and November found error rates ranging from 5% to 4.67% based on overcharges in 300-item lots.

The store was assessed an additional $4,875 penalty for a failed inspection in January based on an error rate of 4.67% for 14 overcharges in a 300-item lot. The Family Dollar passed its latest inspection in March, NCDACS said.

“Many of the stores facing fines in the first quarter of 2024 had multiple failed inspections and a high rate of overcharging errors,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler in the release. “Overcharges cost consumers so we remain vigilant in inspecting stores to save people money. Remember it is always a good practice to check your receipt as well as the price on the shelf to make sure you are paying the correct amount and alert managers if the prices don’t match.”

Undercharges are also reported, but do not count against a store. Consumers who would like to file a complaint about scanner errors they encounter, can call the Standards Division at 984-236-4750.