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Dollar-stores overcharge customers while promising low prices

(www.theguardian.com)
510 points bookofjoe | 3 comments | 07 Dec 25 14:37 UTC | HN request time: 0.001s | source
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jefftk ◴[08 Dec 25 01:04 UTC] No.46187156[source]▶
> Red Baron frozen pizzas, listed on the shelf at $5, rang up at $7.65. Bounty paper towels, shelf price $10.99, rang up at $15.50.

This very rarely happens in MA, because when it does the store has to give you the item for $10 off, including if that makes it free. And they have to post a sign at the register explaining the law, which means when you're invoking it all you need to do is point at the sign.

https://www.mass.gov/info-details/consumer-pricing-accuracy-...

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technothrasher ◴[08 Dec 25 02:34 UTC] No.46187677[source]▶
Note that this law is only for certain products. We would have people at the liquor store I used to own point out mislabeling occasionally and claim we owed them the $10 difference from this law. While we tried to work with customers when we made a pricing error, not only does the accuracy law not apply to alcoholic beverages, but it would often be illegal for us to offer the customer the mistaken price. Alcohol retailers in MA are not legally allowed to sell their products for less than they purchased them.
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Cyclone_ ◴[08 Dec 25 02:50 UTC] No.46187779[source]▶
That's probably aimed at reducing consumption.
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1. hunter2_ ◴[08 Dec 25 04:34 UTC] No.46188344[source]▶
I assume eliminating the "loss leader" concept is the main effect, since shops shouldn't otherwise price things as losses regardless? In which case it seems like it's meant to maintain some friction / overhead for people wanting to visit the stores, possibly reducing consumption at least for the price-sensitive.
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2. SOLAR_FIELDS ◴[08 Dec 25 13:17 UTC] No.46191855[source]▶
In Texas the law exists as well, phrased as cannot offer price below wholesale price for alcohol which in effect bans “bottomless/all you can drink” deals as well. It is indeed designed as a way to discourage consumption
3. thefringthing ◴[08 Dec 25 17:25 UTC] No.46195005[source]▶
Selling at a loss can also be a monopolistic practice: a firm with enough capital can sell at a loss to capture the market, and then buy out their now-flailing competition.