Wisconsin and 19 other states are suing Dollar General Corporation, accusing the retailer of deceptive pricing that “harms the very consumers it claims to serve,” namely low-income households.
The state Department of Justice yesterday announced the states, along with the Federal Trade Commission, have joined a lawsuit against the discount store company.
Headquartered in Tennessee, the business says it operates more than 21,000 stores in 48 states and had $42.7 billion in sales in fiscal year 2025.
DOJ and other plaintiffs allege Dollar General stores routinely charge more than what’s listed in their ads and on the shelves, resulting in millions of dollars in improper costs. They argue the business has engaged in these practices for years, impacting its core customer base of low-income and fixed-income households.
The company sells about 2,000 different products for $1 or less, and households earning $35,000 or less represent about 60% of the company’s total revenue, according to details included in the complaint.
“The prices that folks see displayed when they’re shopping should be the same as the prices they’re charged when they check out,” Attorney General Josh Kaul said in a statement. “If the prices charged in the checkout aisle are higher than the prices on the shelves, there should be accountability.”
In a statement on the lawsuit, the company says it will “defend this litigation vigorously” and argues it always strives for “100% accuracy” between shelf and register prices.
“As with other retailers and despite our policies and procedures, occasional price discrepancies can occur,” the statement reads. “When that happens, our store teams are instructed, empowered, and expected to make things right for the customer. In recent years, we have enhanced our price-accuracy processes and remain committed to continuous improvement.”
While portions of the plaintiffs’ 95-page argument are redacted, they outline examples of “pervasive and systemic pricing inaccuracies,” claiming they go beyond isolated or accidental errors. Between Jan. 1, 2023 and March 31,2026, the company received more than 29,000 complaints about not honoring marked prices that were submitted across all 48 states where it operates.
And though the company has already paid out more than $6 million in penalties through seven settlements with state AGs and consumer protection agencies over pricing issues, the plaintiffs say Dollar General has “failed to implement adequate safeguards” to prevent further overcharging.
As a result, “consumers nationwide have paid significantly more than they expected for basic household goods and necessities, enriching Dollar General at the expense of the low-income and rural households it markets itself as serving,” plaintiffs wrote.
They’re seeking a permanent injunction to prevent future violations of numerous consumer protection laws, as well as monetary penalties and attorneys’ fees.
