Ohio’s Attorney General has announced an agreement has been reached with Dollar General to address allegations that some prices displayed for products on store shelves are not the same as those charged at the register.

According to a statement issued on Wednesday by Attorney General Dave Yost, without admitting guilt, Dollar General will take steps to ensure that shelf prices match the charged prices.

Employees will be required to charge a product’s shelf price if customers contend that they are being charged more at checkout. And, in cases when a price override is necessary, the store will take steps to correct the discrepancy.

The agreement stems from reports by several county auditors in Ohio, who found that many of the prices displayed on the shelves of Dollar General stores did not match the prices charged at the checkout.

Even after Yost sued the company on Nov. 1, 2022, some of the same stores continued to charge more than the prices advertised.

The agreement averts a temporary restraining order sought by Yost against the retailer over allegations of deceptive pricing.

“This is just a step in the process,” Yost said. “Litigation is not over, but this is a step in the right direction.”

Additionally, the agreement requires Dollar General to educate all employees about the policy and to post signs in its Ohio stores informing customers of the policy.

Among other things, the order also:

  • Requires district managers to perform price checks for at least 25 items in each Ohio store every 45 days. If more than five items show discrepancies, the corporate office must be notified.
  • Requires Dollar General stores to notify the corporate office if a price verification report conducted by a county auditor indicates a fail rate of more than 2%. Notification must occur within two days and discrepancies must then be corrected.