The Region : Ralphs to Pay $70,784 in Checkout Suit

The company that owns the Ralphs supermarket chain agreed to pay $70,784 to settle a civil lawsuit alleging that the stores’ automated checkout stands did not always charge the price marked on an item or on the shelf. Without admitting wrongdoing, Ralphs also agreed to a one-year program requiring all stores to correct mislabeled shelf or item prices within 24 hours of receiving a customer complaint. Investigators from the Los Angeles County and San Diego County district attorneys offices concluded that Ralphs, which is owned by Federated Department Stores of Cincinnati, had committed insufficient resources to guaranteeing agreement between shelf and checkout prices.