REGION — Albertsons and Vons have agreed to pay nearly $4 million to settle a civil complaint filed by prosecutors across California — including the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office — alleging that the grocery chains overcharged customers and engaged in false advertising.
The case, filed in Marin County Superior Court, was brought by the District Attorney’s offices of San Diego, Alameda, Los Angeles, Marin, Riverside, Sonoma, and Ventura counties. The civil action targeted Albertsons Companies, Inc. and its subsidiaries Safeway, Inc. and The Vons Companies, Inc.
Prosecutors alleged that the grocery chains made false and misleading claims about the net weight of certain products, including produce, meats, and baked goods. Customers were allegedly charged more than the lowest advertised or posted prices for items. Additionally, some items had inaccurate weights on their labels, meaning the products contained less than what was advertised.
According to the complaint, Albertsons and its subsidiaries were responsible for determining the net weight of these products, which excludes packaging. Some items were sold by weight, such as a price per pound, while others had a fixed price for a specific weight, like $2.99 for a 16-ounce bag of tortilla chips.
The district attorneys claim that the grocery chains failed to implement proper procedures or provide adequate employee training to ensure the accuracy of net weights and pricing. As a result, customers were overcharged, often receiving less product than stated. One example cited in the complaint involved roasted chickens labeled as 30 ounces, which were found to weigh less.
The complaint also accused Safeway and Vons of violating a 2014 injunction requiring the stores to follow a price accuracy policy. Under this policy, customers who were overcharged for an item were entitled to receive the item for free or be given a $5 gift card, depending on the price of the item.
As part of the settlement, Albertsons and Vons will pay more than $3.2 million in civil penalties and nearly $750,000 to cover investigative costs and support other consumer protection enforcement efforts.
The judgment also prohibits the grocery chains from engaging in false or misleading advertising in the future. Additionally, a “Price Accuracy Program” has been established, which allows customers to be compensated by up to $5 if they are overcharged.
“Consumers should be able to trust that the advertised weight of a food product is accurate,” said San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan, who added that her office’s Consumer Protection Unit “works to hold grocers accountable for meeting their obligations under the law.”
