Connecticut Joins FTC and States in Suing Dollar General for Charging Consumers More Than Advertised

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10/26/2026

Connecticut Joins FTC and States in Suing Dollar General for Charging Consumers More Than Advertised

Dollar General has generated millions of dollars by regularly and repeatedly charging more at the register than the price advertised, the FTC and states allege

(Hartford, CT) - Attorney General William Tong today joined the Federal Trade Commission and 19 other state attorneys general in suing Dollar General Corporation for engaging in long-running deceptive pricing practices by routinely charging customers more at the register than the prices displayed on shelves, price tags and advertisements, costing consumers millions of dollars.

The complaint alleges that Dollar General has, for years, repeatedly mislabeled prices, overcharged consumers and failed to correct the issue despite extensive corporate knowledge of the problem.

"Dollar General knew it was overcharging customers and failed to do anything about it. They profited from years of deception, while American families lost millions. Consumers should be able to trust the prices they see on the shelves, not worry about what they'll be charged at the register. We are taking aggressive action to hold them accountable," said Attorney General Tong.

"It's simple: the price you advertise on the shelf, in the menu, on your website or anywhere else, must be the price you charge, whether the item is $1 or $100," said DCP Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli. "Consistently advertising one price and charging another, isn't a simple mistake, it's a concerted effort to take advantage of consumers, exposes frontline retail workers to unnecessary confrontation, and is generally bad for business. Honesty is always the best policy whether you are a major corporation or a small business."

According to the complaint:

• Thousands of Dollar General stores have taken advantage of vulnerable shoppers by extracting millions of dollars in unlawful overcharges with insufficient safeguards to prevent the practice.
• Dollar General received tens of thousands of complaints from consumers across the country who say the company did not honor the advertised price, demonstrating widespread consumer harm and confirming that customers nationwide have been charged more than the advertised price.
• Dollar General knows that it harms consumers by charging more at the register than the prices it advertises, as reflected by the numerous complaints it has received.
• Despite being made aware of the problem, Dollar General has failed to implement policies and practices to adequately address the problem, according to the complaint.

The FTC and states allege these practices violate the FTC Act, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act (CUPTA).

This lawsuit reflects Attorney General Tong's ongoing efforts to drive down costs for American families. As president of the National Association of Attorneys General, Attorney General Tong has made affordability the focus of his presidential initiative, working together with attorneys general across the country to protect consumers and hold businesses accountable.

The states joining the FTC lawsuit include Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah and Wisconsin.

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Media Contact:

Elizabeth Benton
[email protected]

Consumer Inquiries:

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