The 95-page complaint accuses Dollar General of deceptive pricing, alleging customers are routinely charged more at checkout than shelf prices, tags, and advertisements, describing it as widespread and persistent pricing misconduct.

The lawsuit notes internal policies meant to align register prices with shelf prices, such as updating outdated labels, but argues understaffing and workflow issues prevent consistent label updates and verification that labels are actually on shelves.

FTC materials stress that Dollar General positions itself as a low-cost retailer and that price label accuracy is essential for vulnerable customers who depend on visible prices.

FTC allegations reference a Guardian investigation from December 2025 that found extensive pricing misalignment and multiple government price-accuracy inspections failing over three years across 23 states.

The Guardian interview cited in the complaint claims employees removed or discarded price tags to avoid trouble, signaling systemic pricing integrity challenges.

Separately, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a $1.875 million settlement with Dollar General over similar price-gouging allegations earlier in October 2026.

Dollar General has said it is committed to accurate shelf pricing, while arguing that perfect pricing alignment isn’t legally required for all items at all times.

The FTC and 20 states have filed a federal lawsuit in Nashville accusing Dollar General of routinely overcharging customers at more than 20,000 stores nationwide.