Walmart will pay $5.6 million to resolve a consumer protection lawsuit alleging overcharging customers in California.
District attorneys from Santa Clara, Sonoma, San Diego, and San Bernardino counties accused Walmart of selling produce and baked goods with less weight than shown on product labels.
Driving the news: The lawsuit claimed Walmart charged prices higher than the lowest advertised price, violating California’s false advertising and unfair competition laws.
The big picture: As part of the court’s ruling, Walmart must pay $5.5 million in civil penalties and an additional $139,908.92 to cover investigation expenses.
- Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen emphasized the importance of accurate pricing at checkout, stating his office will enforce the law to ensure customers are charged correctly.
- Walmart spokeswoman Kelly Hellbusch said the company is pleased the matter is resolved.
- As part of the settlement, Walmart is required to employ staff responsible for verifying price and weight accuracy in its California locations.
Flashback: This is not Walmart’s first such issue in California; the company paid a $2.1 million fine in 2012 for similar overcharging violations related to an earlier 2008 judgment.
