Five local stores pay fines for price scanning errors

(WWAY) — The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Standards Division has collected fines from 37 stores in 22 counties because of excessive price-scanner errors.

Five of those stores were located in the Cape Fear:

(Bladen) Minuteman Food Mart at 14661 Highway 87, Tarheel paid $7,365 in penalties. The store will be reinspected.

(Brunswick) Dollar General at 5001 Main St., Shallotte paid $1,410 in penalties.

(Brunswick) Dollar General at 6675 Beach Drive SW, Ocean Isle paid $1,725 in penalties. The store will be reinspected.

(Brunswick) Walmart Supercenter at 1114 New Pointe Blvd., Leland paid $3,395 in penalties.

(Pender) Dollar General at 105 Highway 117, Burgaw paid $2,040 in penalties.

“Our Standards Division closely watches stores to ensure that consumers are protected,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “This is an important function to make sure North Carolinians are being charged the prices they see on shelves. While our work will continue, it is important for consumers to check their receipts regularly and notify store managers if they see a discrepancy.”

The department conducts periodic, unannounced inspections of price-scanner systems in 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-percent error rate on overcharges, inspectors discuss the findings with the store manager and conduct a more intensive follow-up inspection later.