Report: Ohio is a hotspot in dollar store overcharging scandal
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A sweeping Guardian investigation has found Dollar General and Family Dollar frequently overcharge shoppers, with thousands of failed price-accuracy inspections nationwide.
Why it matters: These chains market themselves as lifelines in low-income neighborhoods and rural towns where few other retail options exist.
What they found: In many stores, government price-accuracy inspectors found outdated tags, overstuffed shelves and too-few workers, ingredients for chronic price mismatches.
The other side: Dollar General told the Guardian that it is "committed to providing customers with accurate prices" but noted in a court case that it is "virtually impossible for a retailer to match shelf pricing and scanned pricing 100% of the time."
Zoom in: Ohio is among the states hardest hit. A Dollar General in Hamilton recorded a 76% error rate in 2022.
- A Family Dollar in Lorain recorded a 58% error rate at an inspection earlier this year.
Flashback: Cleveland was so concerned about the proliferation of dollar stores that city council passed a moratorium on new permits in 2020.
- Other Ohio cities, including Canton and South Euclid, have passed regulations on dollar stores more recently.
Catch up quick: Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost secured $1 million and $400,000 in legal settlements with Dollar General and Family Dollar, respectively, for their overcharging practices.
- That money that has largely gone to Ohio food banks.
Yes, but: Even after the agreements, inspections continue to show double-digit error rates, and Ohioans keep filing complaints about being charged more than the shelf price.