The Boston Globe reports that, at least in Massachusetts, CVS leads the pack in overcharging violations. Not only do they overcharge more than anyone else, but they beat Walgreens in violations by about 1000 percent:

The number of overcharging violations – defined as charging more at the register than the price in an advertisement, on a shelf sign, or on the item itself – soared to 711, from 425.

By comparison, rival Walgreens had 71 violations for overcharging.

Consumer activists “who visited 22 CVS stores in the Boston area during April were overcharged [an average of 56 cents] on purchases at 20 of these stores for items including tissue, baby wipes, mascara, and extension cords.”

CVS told the paper that it strives to update prices as quickly as possible, and that this is a smear campaign. But a former employee for the company said that it was just cheaper for the company to pay fines than to meet the state’s price protection laws:

Aaron Weintrob, who worked at CVS for 14 years until leaving last year, said it is costlier for CVS to follow the pricing laws than to pay the fines.

“It’s deliberate,” said Weintrob, who now works as a retail salesman in Massachusetts. “If price accuracy was important, CVS would have the measures in place – signs, item pricing, employing people to maintain accuracy – to follow the law. Fines are simply looked at as the cost of doing business.”

“CVS called a leader in pricing violations” [Boston.com] (Thanks to Alex!)
(Photo: Daquella)

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