Home Depot has reached a settlement to pay nearly $2 million following allegations of overcharging customers and falsely advertising prices on items, according to an announcement made on Thursday. The civil complaint was filed by the district attorney’s offices of San Diego, Alameda, Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, and Sonoma counties.
Prosecutors claim that Home Depot engaged in “scanner violations,” where customers were charged more than the prices displayed on shelves when the items were scanned at the register. However, Home Depot has agreed to the settlement without admitting any liability or wrongdoing.
Under the terms of the agreement, Home Depot will pay $1.7 million in civil penalties and an additional $277,251 to cover investigatory costs incurred by prosecutors. This amount will also be used to support other consumer protection enforcement efforts. Furthermore, Home Depot will implement new procedures aimed at ensuring price accuracy. These measures include eliminating price increases on weekends and establishing audits and training programs related to state pricing accuracy requirements.
The settlement marks a resolution for Home Depot regarding these allegations but does not imply any admission of guilt or responsibility for their actions.
Originally Published: September 12, 2024 at 1:22 p.m.
