Walmart settles claims it overcharged customers (again)
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MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The country’s largest grocery store is again paying the price for reportedly overcharging consumers.
“It’s not cool at all,” said Michele Lewis, a West Memphis shopper.
Attorneys say Walmart charged customers more than the advertised price and sold items that weighed less than advertised.
To settle the suit, Walmart will pay more than $5 million in penalties to four California counties.
“We are pleased this matter is resolved,” wrote a spokeswoman for Walmart in a statement to FOX13.
The company reported it made about $681 billion last year. Back in 2022, FOX13 actually weighed multiple random samples of raw meat from Walmart and other stores. Our investigative team found certain foods from Walmart and Superlo weighed less than their stickers claimed.
This week is far from the first time the corporation has settled a legal challenge related to overcharging. Back in 2012, the company settled another similar lawsuit.
“Whether it’s intentional or by mistake, you can’t overcharge people,” explained Teresa Murray, consumer watchdog director for Public Interest Research Group. “You can’t mistreat your customers.”
She had this advice for shoppers who want to pay an accurate price in any store:
- Use self-checkout (so you can slowly inspect items’ prices)
- Take pictures of price tags for sale items
- Price check with the store’s app
- Speak up if something’s wrong!
“We work hard for our money,” Murray said. “We need to treat our money as valuable as it is. And we certainly don’t want to be throwing it out the window if a merchant is overcharging us.”
Unrelated to this week’s settlement, Lewis told FOX13 the company proactively reimbursed her Monday after an item had two different prices online.
“Twenty-five cents!” she laughed. “You know, I won’t be mad if I don’t even get it!”
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