Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Dollar General have reached an agreement that stops a temporary restraining order Yost sought against the retailer over allegations of deceptive pricing.
According to a news release from Yost's office, the stipulated order reached this week in Butler County Common Pleas Court outlines the terms and conditions that Dollar General must implement.
“This is just a step in the process,” Yost said in a released statement. “Litigation is not over, but this is a step in the right direction.”
The agreement does not serve as an actual admittance of liability from Dollar General or an admission that there was a discrepancy between shelf prices and charged prices at any stores.
Overall, the agreement will require the retailer to take steps to ensure that shelf prices match the prices charged to customers at checkout.
District managers will also be required to perform price checks on at least 25 items in every Ohio location every 45 days. A corporate office must be contacted if there is a discrepancy involving more than five items.
Additionally, Dollar General stores are required to contact a corporate office if a price verification shows a fail rate of more than 2%. The corporate office must happen within two days and discrepancies must be corrected.
Employees will also be required to charge a product's shelf price if customers contend that they are being charged more at checkout. Stores will then take steps to correct the discrepancy.
The company is also required to educate all employees about the policy and to post signs in its Ohio stores concerning the policy.
