Alcoholic beverage retailer BevMo! has agreed to pay $359,043 to resolve a price-gouging case.
Prosecutors say the Concord-based corporation posted prices in stores and advertisements and charged higher prices at the time of checkout.
The settlement was approved by a San Diego County judge on Dec. 4, according to a news release from the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office.
BevMo! did not admit liability.
Prosecutors from the Santa Barbara, Riverside, San Diego and Santa Clara County district attorney’s offices were involved in the case.
“The case stemmed from weights and measures investigations in eleven counties in California which
documented scanner overcharges during inspections at different BevMo! Stores. The investigation
revealed repeated instances of mispriced items on shelves as well as failure to charge the advertised
price at the time of checkout,” the news release reads.
Under the terms of the agreement BevMo! has agreed to pay out $17,991 in refunds directly to affected customers through their customer loyalty program.
BevMo! customer loyalty members who live in California and purchased mispriced items during the time period covered in the complaint will receive a certain amount credited to their account automatically. They do not have to apply for the credit.
BevMo! will also pay $6,005 to the Consumer Protection Prosecution Trust Fund, $6,004 to the California Agricultural Commissioners and Sealers Association Trust Fund, $70,700 in civil penalties to the
Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office and $3,360 in costs to the Santa Barbara County
Weights & Measures Department.
email: pgonzalez@newspress.com
