CONNECTICUT — The state has joined a federal lawsuit accusing Dollar General of repeatedly charging shoppers more at the register than the prices displayed on shelves, tags and advertisements. The October 26 filing brings Connecticut into a case led by the Federal Trade Commission and joined by 20 states.
The FTC and Connecticut attorney general’s office allege that the retailer knew about recurring price discrepancies and did not adequately correct them. The agencies say the alleged overcharges cost consumers millions of dollars. Those are the plaintiffs’ claims, rather than findings made by a court.
The complaint was filed October 26 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee as case 3:26-cv-01693. Its opening pages seek an injunction, monetary relief and other remedies. Filing the complaint does not mean the requested relief has been awarded or that a consumer refund program has begun.
Connecticut’s attorney general said the alleged conduct violates state consumer-protection law as well as federal law. The FTC describes the dispute as a nationwide pricing problem at a chain selling household essentials; the material reviewed for this report does not establish a violation at any particular Eastern Connecticut store.
Dollar General disputes the suggestion that it deliberately disregarded customers’ need for affordable goods, according to a company statement reported by The Associated Press through NBC Connecticut. The retailer said it aims to keep shelf and register prices consistent, instructs staff to correct discrepancies and has improved its pricing processes. Eastern CT News could not retrieve readable text from the company’s original statement after one recovery, so that response is attributed to the AP report.
The case will be decided in court. Shoppers should not treat the filing as notice that they are eligible for a payment. The attorney general’s release lists 860-808-5318 for consumer inquiries; the FTC’s official release links to its consumer-reporting service.
This article was prepared from the full FTC and Connecticut attorney general releases, the caption and opening allegations and requested relief on pages 1–4 of the filed complaint, and the AP report carrying Dollar General’s response. Eastern CT News did not independently audit store prices, inspect the entire 95-page complaint or review a later court decision. The photograph shows the Nashville federal courthouse serving the Middle District of Tennessee, not a store or a hearing in this case.