NC businesses fined for price scanning errors. All 4 around Charlotte are dollar stores
Over a dozen stores across North Carolina must pay up after overcharging customers.
As part of the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Standards Division’s routine inspections of price checks at different businesses, 14 stores in 12 counties have been fined a combined $65,265 for price scanning errors. Nearly half of the total — $31,310 — was from four Family Dollar stores in Mecklenburg, Gaston and Union Counties.
The combined total of fines last year was over $500,000 for dozens of retailers throughout North Carolina for overcharging customers.
The Agriculture Department regularly conducts unannounced visits to check out price-scanner systems to make sure prices advertised match with prices that ring up at registers. Stores found with more than a 2% error rate on overcharges will be given a “more intensive follow-up inspection.”
Here’s which stores were recently found with price-scanner errors in the fourth quarter of last year, according to the state.
Price scan errors around Charlotte
▪ Family Dollar at 4455 Central Ave. in Charlotte paid $4,575 following two failed inspections. A September inspection found an error rate of 4.7% for 14 overcharges on a 300-item cart. The store was fined $1,895 following that inspection, which it paid in October. A December follow-up inspection found an error rate of 4.3% for 13 overcharges out of 300 items. The store paid a $2,680 fine following that inspection. The Mecklenburg County store will be reinspected.
▪ Family Dollar at 4005 Sunset Road in Charlotte paid $8,070 in fines in quarter four last year following two failed inspections. A July inspection found an error rate of 4.3% for 13 overcharges on a 300-item cart, and the store was fined $4,070. A September inspection found an error rate of 4% for 12 overcharges on 300 items, and the store was fined $4,000. The store paid both fines in October. The Mecklenburg County store passed inspection in December.
▪ Family Dollar at 7907 Idlewild Road in Indian Trail paid a total of $15,000 in fines in the fourth quarter last year for failed inspections. The store has previously paid fines in 2023 and early in 2024 following failed inspections. An inspection in June found an error rate of 6.3% for 19 overcharges on 300 items. An inspection in August found an error rate of 6.7% for 20 overcharges out of 300 items. An inspection in October found an error rate of 5.7% for 17 overcharges on a 300-item lot. Fines for these failed inspections — $5,000 each — were paid by the store in October and December. The Union County store will be reinspected.
▪ Family Dollar at 2559 W. Franklin Blvd. in Gastonia was fined $3,665 after failing inspections in September, October and December. The initial inspection found overcharges on five out of 50 items — an error rate of 10%. The follow-up inspection in October found an error rate of 8% for overcharges on 24 items on a 300-item cart. An inspection in December 2024 found an error rate of 3.7% for 11 overcharges on a 300-item lot. The Gaston County store will be reinspected.
Price scan problems elsewhere in NC
▪ Family Dollar at 1425 Waughtown St. in Winston-Salem paid $5,000 after failing an inspection in September. The Forsyth County store passed inspection in November.
▪ Family Dollar at 2206 W. Webb Ave. in Burlington paid $6,965 in fines following two failed inspections. The Alamance County store will be reinspected.
▪ Family Dollar at 115 U.S. 158 in Camden paid $2,430 after failing inspections last year. The Camden County store passed inspection in October.
▪ Family Dollar at 1138 South Madison St. in Whiteville paid $6,320 in fines after failing inspections. The store will be reinspected.
▪ Advance Auto Parts at 7201-100 Glenwood Ave. in Raleigh paid $1,005 in the fourth quarter after failing two inspections earlier in the year. The Wake County store passed inspection in May.
▪ Advance Auto Parts at 1216 S. Main St. in Laurinburg paid $420 after inspections in February and March found error rates of 5% and 4%, respectively. The Scotland County store passed inspection in May.
▪ Circle K at 1400 Union Cross Road in Kernersville was fined $1,895 after failing inspection in October. The Forsyth County store will be reinspected.
▪ Dollar General at 2650 Lee Ave. in Sanford was fined $1,305 after failing inspections in October and November. The Lee County store will be reinspected.
▪ Dollar General at 34230 U.S. Hwy. 264 in Engelhard was fined $1,710 after failing inspections in September and October. The Hyde County store passed inspection in December.
▪ Speedway at 912 E. Atkins St. in Dobson was fined $1,905 after a failed inspection in November. The Surry County store will be reinspected.
How store inspections work in NC
Stores are fined for failing to meet the 2% or less price scanning error rate, according to the state.
If a store has more than a 2% error rate on overcharges, inspectors talk with the store manager and make a follow-up inspection. Stores are penalized if they fail the follow-up inspection.
Stores are re-inspected every 60 days until meeting the 2%-or-less error rate, and could face additional fines. Undercharges are also reported but don’t count against a store.
What to do about a price scan error?
Along with notifying store employees about price discrepancies, customers who see price scanner errors on their receipts may file a complaint with the state Standards Division. Call 984-236-4750.