Bull’s Eye: Target Agrees to $3.9 Million Lawsuit Settlement With Bay Area Counties

The retailer giant Target Corp. has agreed to pay $3.9 million to settle a civil lawsuit brought by five counties and the City of San Diego.

In its suit, the plaintiffs alleged that Target overcharged customers on items beyond the advertised price, misrepresented product weights, sold products by gross weight, and sold them in fewer quantities than advertised. The complaint further accused the store of failing to abide by the provisions of a 2008 judgment which required them to ensure pricing accuracy on all merchandise scanners.

In addition to the nearly $4 million payout, Target has agreed to increase price audits, hire an outside auditor to ensure product weight accuracy, and enhance its training techniques. It admits no liability, however, arguing that many of the inaccuracies stemmed from innocent mistakes.

In addition to San Diego, the plaintiffs included the counties of Contra Costa, Fresno, Santa Cruz, Sonoma, and Marin—where the suit was filed.

“A fundamental consumer right is to be charged no more than the lowest advertised price,” said Marin County District Attorney Ed Berberian. “Consumers should always notify retailers immediately when they are being overcharged and demand to be charged only the lowest advertised price.”

Read more about the settlement here.