RALEIGH, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Four Charlotte-area Family Dollar stores are among the 14 in North Carolina fined for price-scanning errors during the fourth quarter of 2024.
The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced the fines Thursday. Most of the business docked are dollar stores.
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% error rate on overcharges, inspectors discuss the findings with the store manager and conduct a more intensive follow-up inspection later.
“Our Standards Division remained committed to protecting consumers across the state,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “Our inspectors continue to find errors among price scanners at stores in the state, and consumers should be mindful. Take time to check your receipts and notify store managers if you find an error.”
Undercharges are also reported, but do not count against a store. Consumers who would like to file a complaint about scanner errors they encounter can call the Standards Division at 984-236-4750.
Here are the local stores fined in the latest round of inspections:
Gaston County
Family Dollar, 2559 West Franklin Blvd., Gastonia
They were fined $3,665 after failing inspections in September, October and December 2024. The initial inspection found overcharges on five out of 50 items – an error rate of 10%. The follow-up inspection in October 2024 found an error rate of 8% for overcharges on 24 items on a 300-item lot. An inspection in December 2024 found an error rate of 3.67% for 11 overcharges on a 300-item lot. The store will be reinspected.
Mecklenburg County
Family Dollar, 4005 Sunset Road, Charlotte
They paid $8,070 in fines in Q4 of 2024 following two failed inspections. A July 2024 inspection found an error rate of 4.33% for 13 overcharges on a 300-item lot, and the store was fined $4,070. A September 2024 inspection found an error rate of 4% for 12 overcharges on a 300-item lot, and the store was fined $4,000. The store paid both fines in October 2024. The store passed inspection in December 2024.
Family Dollar, 4455 Central Ave., Charlotte
They paid $4,575 following two failed inspections. A September 2024 inspection found an error rate of 4.67% for 14 overcharges on a 300-item lot. The store was fined $1,895 following that inspection, which it paid in October 2024. A December 2024 follow-up inspection found an error rate of 4.33% for 13 overcharges on a 300-item lot. The store paid a $2,680 fine following that inspection. The store will be reinspected.
Union County
Family Dollar, 7907 Idlewild Road, Indian Trail
They paid a total of $15,000 in fines in Q4 of 2024 for failed inspections. The store has previously paid fines in 2023 and early 2024 following failed inspections.
An inspection in June 2024 found an error rate of 6.33% for 19 overcharges on a 300-item lot. An inspection in August 2024 found an error rate of 6.67% for 20 overcharges on a 300-item lot. An inspection in October 2024 found an error rate of 5.67% 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 2024. The store will be reinspected.
Other stores fined across the state include:
- Advance Auto Parts, 7201-100 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh
- Advance Auto Parts, 1216 S. Main St., Laurinburg
- Circle K, 1400 Union Cross Road, Kernersville
- Dollar General, 2650 Lee Ave., Sanford
- Dollar General, 34230 U.S. Hwy. 264, Engelhard
- Family Dollar, 1425 Waughtown St., Winston-Salem
- Family Dollar, 2206 W. Webb Ave., Burlington
- Family Dollar, 115 U.S. 158, Camden
- Family Dollar, 1138 S. Madison St., Whiteville
- Speedway, 912 E. Atkins St., Dobson
