Walmart agrees to pay $5.6 million to settle overcharging allegations

Walmart has agreed to pay $5,639,801.92 to settle a civil law enforcement complaint alleging that the retailer engaged in false advertising and unfair competition in California.

The complaint was filed in San Diego County Superior Court following a multi-county investigation by the Consumer Protection Units of the district attorneys in San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Clara and Sonoma counties.

District Attorney Anderson said in a statement, “Our Consumer Protection Unit works tirelessly to hold retailers accountable for their legal obligations and to ensure that our residents are able to trust that the advertised quantity, weight, and price of a product is accurate.”

Under the stipulated judgment, Walmart will pay $5.5 million in civil penalties and $139,801.92 to cover the cost of weights and measures inspections and support future consumer protection enforcement. The judgment also includes an injunction prohibiting the retailer from engaging in false or misleading advertising and requires it to maintain regional compliance associates, in addition to store managers, who are responsible for ensuring price accuracy in California stores.

Walmart has not admitted any liability or wrongdoing and cooperated with weights and measures inspectors throughout the state and with prosecutors.

The San Bernardino County Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures, is the agency monitors retailers to make sure that consumers are being charged for accurate prices and weight packaging. Consumers may report overcharges to the San Bernardino County Department of Weights and Measures by calling (909) 387-2105 or via e-mail to awm@awm.sbcounty.gov.