Safeway was caught overcharging. How to find out if your grocery store is doing the same.

[Auggie]

Grocery stores and other retailers across the Bay Area have recently been caught overcharging customers, according to county inspectors — a problem that experts say happens far more than most people realize.

In early August, SFGate reported that several Safeway stores in Marin County were charging customers too much for items such as produce, cheese and laundry detergent. And that was after Safeway paid out a $2.25 million settlement in 2014 when inspections revealed pricing inaccuracies at stores throughout the state, and last year, Target similarly reached a $5 million settlement with several California counties.

More than one-third of stores in Sonoma County failed price accuracy inspections over the past year, the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat reported in May. In Santa Clara County, inspectors last year found discrepancies at Walmart, Target, Walgreens and other stores, ABC7 reported.

SNIP

Inaccuracies at the cash register mainly come down to human or computer error, officials and consumer advocates say.

Link (paywall): https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/grocery-stores-overcharging-18303789.php

Highlights from the link -- how to respond:

• Customers should know the law when they go shopping. The correct price is the “lowest posted, quoted or displayed" price. When there are multiple different prices listed, you are entitled to the lowest one.

• It's a good idea to pay attention during checkout to ensure you’re getting the store’s lowest price listed.

• After checkout, review your receipt for any errors. Do it before you leave the store.

• If you were overcharged for something you purchased and are still at the store, alert an employee and resolve the issue in person.

• If the issue isn’t fixed or you want to file a complaint, contact your local office of weights and measures


Bay Area weights and measures departments

• Alameda County: 510-268-7343, email form at www.acgov.org

• Contra Costa County: complaint form at www.contracosta.ca.gov

• Marin County: 415-473-7888, complaint form at www.marincounty.org

• Napa County: 707-299-1426, [e-mail]

• San Francisco County: 415-252-3884, [e-mail]

• San Mateo County: 650-363-4700, complaint form at www.smcgov.org.

• Santa Clara County: 408-918-4601 (main line), 866-722-6637 (overcharge complaints), [e-mail], store scanner complaint form at https://weights.sccgov.org

• Solano County: 707-784-1310, [e-mail], complaint form at www.solanocounty.com.

• Sonoma County: 707-565-2371, [e-mail], complaint form at https://sonomacounty.ca.gov

[True Blue American]

1. This is why I prefer self service. I check my prices, go where the bargains are I need.

I have 3 close.

Since I signed up for their Plus Service I get free shipping. Order the things that I do not have to choose myself. Have really saved money.

Amazon is much too high. Walmart has the same things cheaper.

[CrispyQ]

2. They count on you not noticing or if you do notice that you're too busy to take the time. -nt

[KarenS]

3. In the olden days,,,,

when the cashier actually 'rang things up' there was time to catch an error,,,, these days they scan things very quickly and it is difficult to see them scan then look at the register to see the price,,,, plus the register tape not printed until the end and products are alphabetized within in categories,,,, hard to find things,,,,

[marybourg]

4. Plus - at least at my Kroger's store. - you're distracted

by your store card, your credit card, various types of physical coupons and now digital coupons. When they came out with store cards, many people were skeptical, but they lured us in with: “ you’ll never need to cut out coupons again”. That worked out well. Not.

I drew the line at digital coupons. But I guess I’m going to have to call my county Dept. of Weights and Measures, because they’re posting only the digital coupon prices on produce.