Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin has joined the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and 19 other states in a lawsuit against Dollar General Corporation, accusing the retailer of long-standing deceptive pricing practices that have cost consumers millions of dollars.
The complaint, filed jointly by Arkansas and other state partners with the FTC, alleges that Dollar General routinely charged customers higher prices at the register than those displayed on shelves, price tags, and advertisements. The group of states involved in the case includes Alabama, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, and Wisconsin.
In a statement, Griffin emphasized the importance of corporate honesty in pricing. “Arkansans shouldn’t have to pay more at the register than the price they were promised on the shelf,” Griffin said. “Businesses have a responsibility to advertise their prices honestly, and those that deceive consumers must be held accountable. My office will continue cracking down on deceptive practices that hurt Arkansas consumers.”
The lawsuit asserts that thousands of Dollar General stores engaged in overcharging practices, impacting shoppers across the country. According to the complaint, Dollar General received tens of thousands of consumer complaints about pricing discrepancies yet failed to implement adequate safeguards to address the issue.
The FTC and the states argue that these practices, which disproportionately harm financially vulnerable consumers, violate the Federal Trade Commission Act, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, and Arkansas state laws.
Dollar General is accused of creating widespread consumer harm by knowingly overcharging its shoppers while ignoring persistent concerns from customers. This legal action seeks to hold the corporation accountable for its alleged failure to fulfill its obligation to advertise and charge accurate prices.