An Aberdeen business is among 16 North Carolina stores that paid civil penalties after the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said its inspectors found price-scanning errors.
According to the department, Advance Auto Parts at 1800 North Sandhills Blvd. in Aberdeen paid a $435 fine after failing two inspections in 2025.
The agency said an initial inspection in August 2025 found eight overcharges among 50 items checked, resulting in a 16% error rate.
During a follow-up inspection, state inspectors reported finding 17 overcharges in a 300-item sample, resulting in a 5.67% error rate and the civil penalty.
The department said the Aberdeen store passed another inspection in November 2025 and paid the fine in May 2026. The agency did not specify the exact error rate from the passing inspection, but stores must have an overcharge error rate of 2% or less to pass.
The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services conducts periodic, unannounced inspections of price-scanning systems to determine whether prices displayed or advertised by retailers match the prices charged at the register.
When inspectors find an overcharge error rate greater than 2%, they discuss the findings with store management and conduct a more intensive follow-up inspection. The department said penalties may be assessed when a store fails the follow-up inspection.
Stores that do not pass are subject to additional inspections every 60 days until their overcharge error rate is 2% or less. Undercharges are documented but do not count against the store.
Consumers who encounter a possible price-scanning error can file a complaint with the department’s Standards Division by calling 984-236-4750.
Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly reported the amount of the fine, the number and percentage of overcharges found during inspections, and the results of a later inspection. The article has been corrected.
