Vermont Fines Seven Grocery Stores for Scanner Overcharges
BURLINGTON, Vt. -- State officials here said late last week that they had fined nine chain stores, among them seven grocery stores, for scanner violations, according to published reports.
The incorrect prices that came up on the scanners are "most often to the advantage of the retailer," said Assistant Attorney General Michael Duane in the Boston Globe. Duane added that there was no indication that any of the fined stores intentionally set their scanners to show higher prices.
The grocery stores that received fines were the Grand Union in Swanton; Price Chopper locations in Burlington, Essex, and St. Albans; P&C Foods in Colchester; and Shaw's locations in Williston and Waitsfield.
This year nine the nine violations were discovered by state inspectors in the first three months of 2006, vs. 10 violations found during all of last year.
The Shaw's in Waitsfield, which failed a follow-up inspection by the state, received the largest fine of the nine stores, $5,755.
The incorrect prices that came up on the scanners are "most often to the advantage of the retailer," said Assistant Attorney General Michael Duane in the Boston Globe. Duane added that there was no indication that any of the fined stores intentionally set their scanners to show higher prices.
The grocery stores that received fines were the Grand Union in Swanton; Price Chopper locations in Burlington, Essex, and St. Albans; P&C Foods in Colchester; and Shaw's locations in Williston and Waitsfield.
This year nine the nine violations were discovered by state inspectors in the first three months of 2006, vs. 10 violations found during all of last year.
The Shaw's in Waitsfield, which failed a follow-up inspection by the state, received the largest fine of the nine stores, $5,755.