Walmart will pay $5.6 million to settle a lawsuit that accused the company of charging customers too much.
The lawsuit says Walmart sold some products—like fruits, baked goods, and prepared foods—with less weight than what was shown on the label. This means customers may have paid for more than they actually got. The complaint was filed by four counties in California, including Santa Clara County.
The lawsuit also says Walmart charged prices higher than the lowest price they advertised or posted in the store, which is against the law.
The Santa Clara County District Attorney said Walmart broke California’s laws against false advertising and unfair competition.
District Attorney Jeff Rosen said, “When someone brings an item to the register, the price must be correct. Customers expect this, and so does California. We will enforce the law to make sure it happens.”
Walmart has faced similar accusations before. In 2012, Walmart paid $2.1 million for overcharging customers, violating a previous court order. Back then, customers who were overcharged were supposed to get $3 off the lowest advertised price or receive the item for free if the discount was less than $3.
