Dollar General Faces Federal Pricing Lawsuit; Retailer Operates Four Quincy Stores
QUINCY, Ill. Dollar General is facing a sweeping federal lawsuit accusing the discount retailer of repeatedly charging customers more at checkout than prices displayed on shelves, advertisements and the company’s digital platforms, allegations that have a direct consumer interest in Quincy, where the company operates four stores.
The Federal Trade Commission and 20 states, including Illinois, filed the lawsuit Oct. 26 in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee. The case remains pending, and the allegations have not been proven in court.
According to the FTC, Dollar General allegedly engaged in inaccurate pricing practices over a period of years, resulting in customers paying more at the register than they believed they would based on advertised prices. Federal and state officials contend the company knew of widespread pricing discrepancies but failed to implement adequate measures to prevent them.
The federal complaint states that Dollar General received at least 29,265 customer complaints categorized as “Did Not Honor Marked Price” between Jan. 1, 2023, and March 31, 2026. Those complaints came from all 48 states in which the company operated, according to the filing. The lawsuit also cites prior state enforcement actions and pricing inspections as evidence supporting the government’s allegations.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined the action, alleging that the practices violated Illinois consumer protection laws in addition to federal law.
“Our lawsuit alleges that Dollar General has generated millions of dollars by regularly and repeatedly charging shoppers more at the register than the prices it advertises,” Raoul said in announcing the case.
The lawsuit is particularly relevant locally because Dollar General maintains a sizable presence in Quincy and Adams County.
Dollar General’s official store directory lists four Quincy locations at 1335 S. 12th St., 2000 Broadway, 2614 N. 12th St. and 600 Maine St.
The company also operates stores in Camp Point at 607 E. Wood St. and Payson at 211 E. State St.
However, nothing in the federal complaint reviewed by Quincy Current identifies a Quincy or Adams County Dollar General store as a location where the alleged violations occurred.
The presence of Dollar General stores locally should therefore not be interpreted as evidence that customers at any particular Quincy-area location were overcharged.
Illinois complaints included in federal case
The 95-page federal complaint does include examples involving Illinois consumers, although the filing does not identify those examples as occurring in Quincy.
In one example from April 2024, the lawsuit states that an Illinois customer complained about an online promotion offering Dr Pepper products three for $9. The complaint alleges the products instead rang up at $10.78.
Another example involved an Illinois consumer in November 2024 who allegedly saw Scrubbing Bubbles advertised on Dollar General’s website for $3.50 but was charged $4.25.
Those examples are allegations included by federal and state authorities to support their broader case against the retailer. They are not findings that Dollar General violated the law.
Government seeks monetary relief and changes
The FTC and participating states are asking the federal court for a permanent injunction designed to prevent future violations, along with monetary relief, civil penalties and other remedies available under federal and state law.
The government alleges that inaccurate prices were not simply isolated mistakes but were part of a broader problem affecting stores across the company’s national footprint.
The FTC also alleges that Dollar General failed to adequately address the problem despite customer complaints, government inspections and previous enforcement actions.
Dollar General disputes government’s characterization
Dollar General issued a statement Monday disputing the government’s portrayal of its pricing practices and said it intends to vigorously defend itself in court.
The company said its goal is 100% accuracy between shelf and register prices and acknowledged that occasional discrepancies can occur, as they can at other retailers.
Dollar General said employees are instructed and empowered to correct discrepancies for customers when they occur and that the company has strengthened its price-accuracy procedures in recent years.
The company also criticized the FTC’s handling of the investigation and disputed aspects of the government’s proposed monetary recovery. Dollar General said it had attempted to resolve the matter before litigation and remains willing to discuss a resolution while defending itself against the allegations.
No Quincy violations established
For Quincy consumers, the lawsuit raises an obvious local question: Have similar pricing discrepancies occurred at any of the four Dollar General stores in the city?
At this point, the federal lawsuit does not answer that question.
Quincy Current has not identified any allegation in the complaint specifically naming Quincy or Adams County, and the national allegations should not be attributed to individual local stores without evidence.
Determining whether the broader allegations have any direct Quincy connection would require examining local consumer complaints, state pricing inspections or documented transactions showing differences between advertised and checkout prices.
The federal lawsuit nevertheless puts increased attention on a retailer with a significant presence throughout the Quincy area and across rural Illinois.
For now, the case remains exactly that, a pending lawsuit containing allegations from the federal government and 20 states.
Whether those allegations ultimately result in a judgment against Dollar General, monetary relief for consumers or changes to the company’s pricing practices will be decided as the case moves through federal court.
