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County warns consumers to check prices when shopping 

slo county agFor many local retailers, the Christmas season extends well after December 25th. Stores are busier than ever with customer exchanges and returns. Price changes for end of the year sales also keep clerks hopping. Discounts offer bargains for shoppers, however, if the price charged at the register is more than the lowest posted or advertised price, then any expected bargain vanishes.

“Retailers know it’s the law to have accurate prices. However, the potential for inadvertent overcharges is greater during the post-Christmas shopping season because of the higher volume of sales and the quickly changing discounts that are offered,” said Martin Settevendemie, San Luis Obispo County’s Agricultural Commissioner and Sealer of Weights and Measures.

Protect yourself from being overcharged

  • Pay close attention to prices posted on store shelves and in advertisements before you buy an item to ensure you are charged the lowest advertised price at the cash register.
  • Stores are required to display to the purchaser the price of each item on the cash register screen before the transaction is complete. Watch the display screen as items are scanned. If you believe you are overcharged, speak up and ask for the lower price.
  •  Review your receipt before leaving the store. If you are overcharged, speak up and request that the store policy on overcharges be provided to you. In some cases the store policy may provide for further discounts or call for the overcharged item to be given to the customer free of charge.

San Luis Obispo County Department of Agriculture

Inspectors from the San Luis Obispo County Department of Agriculture/Weights and Measures routinely inspect retail stores to confirm that posted prices are correctly charged at check-out. Consumers should contact Weights and Measures at 805-781-5910 to file a complaint if they experience a scanner overcharge. For more information visit the department’s website at www.slocounty.ca.gov/agcomm.

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About the author: Publisher Scott Brennan

Scott Brennan is the publisher of this newspaper and founder of Access Publishing. Follow him on Twitter, LinkedIn, or follow his blog.