The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Standards Division has fined two stores for errors in price scanning during the first quarter of 2025.
“We inspect stores to ensure their pricing is accurate and the price at the register matches the price on the shelf,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “While most stores pass inspection, the ones that do not will face fines until they come into compliance.”
The department performs periodic, unannounced inspections of businesses’ price-scanner systems to verify the accuracy of advertised prices against those charged at the register. Stores exhibiting a more than 2% error rate in overcharges are subject to further scrutiny. Inspectors will discuss initial findings with store managers and conduct follow-up inspections. Although undercharges are reported, they do not count against a store. Consumers who encounter scanner errors can report them by calling the Standards Division at 984-236-4750.
Stores failing follow-up inspections are penalized and subject to subsequent reinspections every 60 days until they meet the required error rate of 2% or less. Additional penalties are possible for stores that fail a reinspection.
Penalties imposed in the first quarter of 2025 include:
In Davidson, Speedway located at 19 Cotton Grove Road in Lexington incurred a $405 fine after failing two inspections in 2024. The initial inspection in April 2024 revealed an error rate of 16% for eight overcharges on a 50-item lot. A follow-up inspection in June 2024 showed a 3% error rate with three overcharges on a 100-item lot, resulting in the $405 fine. The store passed inspection in August 2024 and paid the fine in March.
In Watauga, Staples at 1275 Blowing Rock Road in Boone paid a $1,005 fine after failing two inspections in 2024. The initial inspection in February 2024 found a 14% error rate with seven overcharges on a 50-item lot. The follow-up inspection in April 2024 found a 6.33% error rate with 19 overcharges on 300 items, resulting in a $1,005 fine. The store passed inspection in June 2024 and paid the fine in February.
