The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Standards Division collected fines from 19 stores in 14 counties for price scanning errors during the third quarter of 2026.
“Accurate pricing is essential to maintaining the public’s trust and a fair marketplace, and our inspectors play an important role in protecting consumers,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “While we work diligently to ensure retailers are in compliance, we also encourage shoppers to take time to review their receipts and let us know if they find errors.”
The department conducts periodic, unannounced inspections of price-scanner systems in businesses to check for accuracy between the prices advertised and the prices that ring up at the register. If a store has more than a 2% error rate on overcharges, inspectors discuss the findings with the store manager and conduct a more intensive follow-up inspection later. Undercharges are also reported, but do not count against a store. Consumers who would like to file a complaint about scanner errors they encounter can call the Standards Division at 984-236-4750.
Penalties are assessed if a store fails a follow-up inspection. In addition to the penalties paid, the store will be subject to reinspection every 60 days from the last inspection until it meets the 2%-or-less error rate. Additional penalties may be assessed if a store fails reinspection.
Following are civil penalties recorded in the third quarter of 2026:
(Beaufort) Dollar General at 2448 Highway 101 in Beaufort paid $2,565 following two failed inspections. An initial inspection in June found an error rate of 20% for 10 overcharges on a 50-item lot. A follow-up inspection found an error rate of 10.33% for 31 overcharges on a 300-item lot, resulting in the fine. The store passed inspection in September.
(Buncombe) Dollar General at 110 Rowland Road in Swannanoa was fined a total of $5,345 for failing inspections. An initial inspection at the store found an error rate of 10% for five overcharges on a 50-item lot. A follow-up inspection found an error rate of 9.33% for 28 overcharges on a 300-item lot, resulting in a $2,190 fine. The store paid that fine in August. An August follow-up inspection found an error rate of 10.67% for 32 overcharges on a 300-item lot, resulting in a $3,155 fine. The store will be reinspected.
(Carteret) Dollar General at 2410 West Fort Macon Road in Atlantic Beach was fined $3,380 for three failed inspections. An initial inspection in May found an error rate of 6% for three overcharges on a 50-item lot. A reinspection in June found an error rate of 5% for 15 overcharges on a 300-item lot and the store was fined $1,530. The store paid that fine in July. A follow-up inspection in August found an error rate of 3.67% for 11 overcharges on a 300-item lot, resulting in a $1,850 fine. The store will be reinspected.
(Craven) Dollar General at 209 East Sunset Blvd. in Cove City paid fines after failing three inspections. An initial inspection in April found an error rate of 8% for four overcharges on a 50-item lot. A follow-up inspection in June found an error rate of 11% for 33 overcharges on a 300-item lot. The store was fined $3,195 following that inspection. A second follow-up inspection in August found an error rate of 3.67% for 11 overcharges on a 300-item lot, resulting in a $2,255 fine. The store will be reinspected.
(Craven) Family Dollar at 1405 Neuse Blvd. in New Bern failed two inspections in quarter three of 2026, following two earlier failed inspections. A July inspection found an error rate of 3.33% for 10 overcharges on a 330-item lot. A $1,655 fine was issued following that inspection, which the store paid in August. A follow-up inspection in September found an error rate of 41.33% for 124 overcharges on a 300-item lot. The store was issued a $5,000 fine following that inspection. The store will be reinspected.
(Craven) Publix at 2004 South Glenburnie Road in New Bern paid a $1,215 fine following two failed inspections. An initial inspection in June found an error rate of 6% for three overcharges on a 50-item lot. A follow-up inspection in July found a 2.67% error rate for eight overcharges on a 300-item lot, resulting in the fine. The store will be reinspected.
(Duplin) Family Dollar at 301 South Sycamore St. in Rose Hill was fined $1,125 following two failed inspections. An initial inspection in July found an error rate of 10% for five overcharges on a 50-item lot. A follow-up inspection in August found an error rate of 3% for nine overcharges on a 300-item lot, resulting in the fine. The store will be reinspected.
(Hertford) Dollar General at 114 Hertford County High Road in Ahoskie paid a $1,845 fine following two failed inspections. An initial inspection in May found an error rate of 16% for eight overcharges on 50 items. A follow-up inspection in June found an error rate of 4.33% for 13 overcharges on a 300-item lot, resulting in a $1,845 fine the store paid in July. The store passed inspection in August.
(Mecklenburg) Family Dollar at 8500 C Pineville Mathew in Pineville received a $3,615 fine following two failed inspections. An initial inspection in June found an error rate of 17% for 17 overcharges on a 100-item lot. A July follow-up inspection found a 9% error rate for 27 overcharges on a 300-item lot, resulting in the fine. The store will be reinspected.
(Onslow) Dollar General at 550 Sandridge Road in Hubert paid $1,850 after a June inspection found an error rate of 3.67% for 11 overcharges on a 300-item lot. The store passed inspection in August.
(Pamlico) Dollar General at 13860 N.C. Highway 55 in Alliance paid a $1,875 fine issued after the store failed inspections in April and June. An initial inspection in April found an error rate of 10% for five overcharges on a 50-item lot. A reinspection in June found an error rate of 6.33% for 19 overcharges on a 300-item lot, resulting in the fine. The store passed inspection in August.
(Pamlico) Dollar General at 1403 Broad St. paid a total of $2,885 in fines following three failed inspections. An initial inspection April found an error rate of 10% for five overcharges on a 50-item lot. A follow-up inspection in June found an error rate of 5% for 15 overcharges on a 300-item lot, resulting in a $1,065 fine. A follow-up inspection in August also found an error rate of 5% for 15 overcharges on a 300-item lot, resulting in a $1,820 fine. The store will be reinspected.
(Richmond) Family Dollar at 2229 North Main St. in Ellerbe paid a $3,690 fine following two failed inspections. An initial inspection in July found an error rate of 10% for five overcharges on a 50-item lot. A follow-up inspection in September found an error rate of 9.67% for 29 overcharges on a 300-item lot, resulting in the fine. The store will be reinspected.
(Scotland) Auto Zone at 1203 South Main St. in Laurinburg paid a $390 fine after failing two inspections earlier this year. An initial inspection in March found 11 overcharges on a 50-item lot – an error rate of 22%. A reinspection in May found an error rate of 4% for 12 overcharges on a 300-item lot, which resulted in the fine. The store passed inspection in July and paid the outstanding fine in September.
(Scotland) Dollar General at 24020 North Main St. in Wagram paid $1,730 following a third failed inspection in 2026. The store failed two inspections in the first quarter of the year and paid the resulting $3,600 fine in April. A June inspection found an error rate of 4.33% for 13 overcharges on a 300-item lot, resulting in the $1,730 fine the store paid in July. The store passed inspection in August.
(Transylvania) Dollar General at 6751 Greenville Highway in Brevard paid an outstanding fine of $2,550 that was the result of a failed inspection in August 2025. That inspection found an error rate of 3.67% for 11 overcharges on a 300-item lot. The store failed a total of six inspections in 2025, before passing inspection in January 2026.
(Union) Circle K at 1071 Chestnut Lane in Indian Trail paid $1,705 in August following a fourth failed inspection this year. The July inspection found an error rate of 6% for six overcharges on a 100-item lot. The store passed inspection in September.
(Wake) Walmart Supercenter at 10050 Glenwood Ave. paid a $3,330 fine following two failed inspections. An initial inspection in June found an error rate of 16% for eight overcharges on a 50-item lot. A follow-up inspection in July found an error rate of 4.33% for 13 overcharges on a 300-item lot, resulting in the fine. The store passed inspection in September.
(Wake) Walmart Supercenter at 3151 Apex Peakway in Apex paid a $1,170 fine following two failed inspections. An initial inspection in July found an error rate of 5% for five overcharges on a 100-item lot. A follow-up inspection found an error rate of 2.67% for eight overcharges on a 300-item lot, resulting in the fine. The store will be reinspected.