Last Updated on October 27, 2026 6:24 pm
The Federal Trade Commission and 20 states, including North Carolina, sued Dollar General on Monday, accusing the discount chain of charging customers more at checkout than the prices shown on store shelves, tags and advertisements.
The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, where the company is headquartered. The FTC alleges the problem occurred at thousands of Dollar General stores over several years and resulted in “millions of dollars in unlawful overcharges.”
According to the complaint, Dollar General logged at least 29,265 customer complaints under the category “Did Not Honor Marked Price” across the 48 states where it operates between Jan. 1, 2023, and March 31, 2026. The FTC says the company did not put adequate safeguards in place to stop recurring register overcharges, despite earlier settlements with state regulators over inaccurate pricing.
The FTC is seeking civil penalties, consumer restitution, a permanent injunction and court-ordered pricing controls, among other relief.
FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Christopher Mufarrige said Dollar General “has betrayed the trust of millions of American consumers.”
North Carolina has more than 1,150 Dollar General stores, the second most of any state, and the company is the only local option for basic goods in many rural communities. North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson’s office said state Department of Agriculture inspections at 10 stores found nearly 400 pricing inaccuracies, including 32 of nearly 300 items overpriced at a store in Swannanoa. The state also fined 10 stores for charging more than the listed price.
“People should be able to trust that the price they see on the shelves is the price they’ll pay,” Jackson said.
Dollar General disputes the claims. In a statement, the company said its goal is “100% accuracy between shelf and register prices in every store,” that employees are expected to correct discrepancies for customers, and that it has upgraded its price-accuracy processes. The company said it learned of the FTC investigation in early February, tried to resolve the matter without litigation, and will defend the lawsuit vigorously.
The other states in the lawsuit are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah and Wisconsin.
Shoppers are encouraged to check their receipts before leaving the store. Pricing complaints in North Carolina can be reported to the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Standards Division through its online form or by calling 984-236-4751.
