SAN DIEGO \u2014 The Home Depot agreed to a nearly $2 million settlement in a case that alleged it overcharged customers, charging more for items at checkout than the items’ advertised prices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As described by prosecutors in six California counties that sued the world’s largest home improvement retailer in San Diego County Superior Court, “scanner violations” \u2014 when prices on items or on the items\u2019 shelf tags are not the same once barcodes are scanned during checkout \u2014 resulted in higher prices for customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In an emailed statement responding to a request for comment about the settlement, Home Depot said, \u201cTo ensure consistency for our customers, we\u2019ve updated the timing of our price changes.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The settlement, which does not include any admission of wrongdoing, was announced last week and approved by Judge Richard S. Whitney; the filing was made Aug. 26.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gasc\u00f3n, representing his office as a lead plaintiff, suggested in a statement last week that the price discrepancies were not an oversight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“When companies engage in deceptive practices, they not only cheat consumers but also gain an unjust advantage over businesses that operate ethically and transparently,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The settlement includes $1.7 million to be divided among the district attorneys’ offices of Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, Alameda, San Bernardino and Sonoma counties for consumer law enforcement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Also included, according to the filing: $177,251.28 for consumer regulators in those counties, as well as in Sacramento County, and $50,000 each to an agricultural consumer watchdog nonprofit and to a trust fund to prosecute those who rip off consumers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Under the agreement, which covers its California stores, Home Depot is ordered to always use the lowest prices posted, hire an executive-level, internal price watchdog, assign price accuracy checks to managers in every California store and make records of price accuracy available to prosecutors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“This settlement is a clear message that such behavior will not be tolerated and underscores our commitment to safeguarding the rights of consumers in our community,” Gasc\u00f3n said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Home Depot, based in Atlanta, reported in a proxy statement<\/a> in May that it earned nearly $22 billion in operating profit for the 2023 fiscal year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n