Michigan joins lawsuit against Dollar General. Why states are suing
Michigan joins lawsuit against Dollar General. Why states are suing
Dan Basso, USA TODAY NETWORKMon, October 26, 2026 at 7:03 PM UTC
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Attorneys general of 20 states, including Michigan, and the FTC have sued Dollar General for charging customers more than the price displayed or advertised for various products, the Michigan attorney general announced on Oct. 26.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said Dollar General Corporation, based in Goodlettsville, Tennessee, has engaged in a long-running deceptive pricing practice by frequently charging customers more at the register than the prices displayed on shelves, price tags and advertisements.
The coalition alleges Dollar General has generated millions of dollars by regularly and repeatedly charging more at the register than the prices it advertises, Nessel said in a release.
“Consumers everywhere deserve to be treated with respect in any store where they choose to spend their money,” Nessel said. “That is the guiding principle behind the Michigan Consumer Protection Act, and many other state and federal laws. I appreciate the efforts of the FTC and other states on this far-reaching investigation, and together we can put an end to these deceptive practices and restore some truth in pricing across the country.”
Dollar General had not yet responded to the lawsuit.
The complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee seeks a permanent injunction to prevent future violations, monetary penalties, civil penalties and "other relief."
The complaint alleges that:
Thousands of Dollar General stores have taken advantage of vulnerable shoppers by extracting millions of dollars in unlawful overcharges with insufficient safeguards to prevent the practice.
Dollar General received tens of thousands of complaints from consumers across the country who say the company did not honor the advertised price, demonstrating widespread consumer harm and confirming that customers nationwide have been charged more than the advertised price.
Dollar General knows that it harms consumers by charging more at the register than the prices it advertises, as reflected by the numerous complaints it has received.
Despite being made aware of the problem, Dollar General has failed to implement policies and practices to adequately address the problem, according to the complaint.
The lawsuit alleges that from Jan. 1, 2023, through March 31, 2026, Dollar General received at least29,265 complaints categorized as “Did Not Honor Marked Price,” with complaints submitted in all 48 states in which it operates.
The suit also claims that between 2019 and 2026, Dollar General entered into seven settlements with six state Attorneys General and consumer protection agencies concerning inaccurate pricing, paying more than $6 million inpenalties.
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"Additionally, since 2022, Dollar General has been the subject of eight class-action lawsuits pertaining to pricing accuracy problem," the lawsuit says.
The lawsuit contains numerous examples of instances in which customers claimed to have been charged different prices than what flyers and other advertisements stated.
The FTC said the practices violate the FTC Act and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, according to the release.
Each state alleges violations of its own laws, with claims being brought in Michigan under the Michigan Shopping Reform and Modernization Act (commonly known as the Scanner Law) and the Michigan Consumer Protection Act.
What states are taking part in the lawsuit?
There are 20 states listed as complainants in the federal lawsuit, including:
Michigan
Alabama
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Connecticut
Florida
Illinois
Iowa
Kansas
Louisiana
Mississippi
Nebraska
New Jersey
North Carolina
Ohio
Oklahoma
Tennessee
Utah
Wisconsin
How many stores does Dollar General operate?
According to the federal complaint, Dollar General operates more than 20,893 stores nationwide as of April 2026.
"80% of Dollar General stores are located in towns of 20,000 or fewer people. Dollar General stores are also, forbroad swaths of the country, conveniently located, with roughly 75% of the United States population living within 5 miles of a Dollar General store," according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit says the company had 269 stores in Michigan as of April.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Michigan joins lawsuit against Dollar General. Why states are suing
Source: “AOL Money”
