FTC and 20 states sue Dollar General over alleged price overcharges

The Federal Trade Commission, together with 20 state attorneys general, filed a federal lawsuit accusing Dollar General of routinely charging shoppers more at checkout than advertised prices. The complaint says the practice targets low‑income customers and has generated thousands of consumer complaints. Dollar General has not responded to the filing and says it will defend the case vigorously.

The FTC is seeking an injunction and restitution for alleged unlawful overcharges, which could lead to significant financial penalties and operational changes for Dollar General, affecting its cost structure and profitability.

  • 1The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Middle Tennessee.
  • 2Dollar General operates about 20,000 stores in 48 states.
  • 3The retailer reported net sales of $42 billion in the most recent year.
  • 4More than 29,000 consumer complaints about overcharges were recorded in the past three years.
  • 5Dollar General has previously settled state attorney‑general actions for over $6 million, including a $1.9 million settlement with New York.
  • 6A 2025 investigation found over 4,300 price‑accuracy inspection failures in 23 states between January 2022 and late 2025.

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