RALEIGH — Two Dollar General stores in Rowan County are among outlets that the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Standards Division has fined because of excessive price-scanner errors

In all, 61 stores in counties across the state were fined by the state agency.

• The Dollar General store at 335 North Salisbury Ave. in Spencer paid $5,000 in fines after an initial inspection in March found a 16 percent error rate based on eight overcharges in a 50-item lot. A subsequent inspection in April found an 18-percent error rate. The store will be reinspected.

• The Dollar General at 8790 Woodleaf Road has paid $810 in fines. An initial inspection in March found a 12 percent error rate based on six overcharges in a 50-item lot. A subsequent inspection in April found a 2.33-percent error rate. The store will be reinspected.
• Also, a Stanly County Family Dollar at 103 North Main St. in Norwood paid $8,960 in fines and will be reinspected. In Iredell County, the Dollar General at 218 East Plaza Drive in Mooresville paid $1,320 in fines and faces reinspection.

“Our Standards Division continues to see a significant increase in stores with price scanner errors, as many stores continue to deal with staffing shortages. Overcharges cost consumers so we remain vigilant in inspecting stores in order to protect consumers,” Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said in a news release. “It is always a good practice for consumers to check their receipts as well as the price on the shelf to make sure that they are paying the correct amount and alert managers if they are not correct.”

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-percent 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 re-inspection every 60 days from the last inspection until it meets the 2-percent-or-less error rate. Additional penalties may be assessed if a store fails a re-inspection.