Parent companies of Carquest agree to pay $750,000 to settle allegations of false advertising
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY, Calif. – San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow announced Thursday that Carquest's parent company has agreed to pay $750,000 to settle allegations of unfair competition and false advertising.
The stipulated judgement requires Carquest to pay $657,000 in civil penalties, $93,000 in investigation costs and to support future consumer protection law enforcement, and the parent companies named in the suit (Advance Auto Parts, Inc. a Delaware Corporation; General Parts International, Inc. a North Carolina Corporation; General Parts, Inc. a North Carolina Corporation; Lee Holdings NC, Inc. a Deleware Corporation; Golden State Supply LLC a Nevade Limited Liability Company; and Worldwide Auto Parts a California Corporation) agreed to follow price-accuracy laws detailed the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney's Office.
The civil complaint was a multi-county enforcement lawsuit led by the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney's Consumer Protection Unit and filed in San Luis Obispo County Superior Court on Sep. 27, 2023, stated the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney's Office.
The allegations in the suit applied to the approximately 50 corporate-owned stores in California and did not involve franchisee-owned Carquest stores noted the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney's Office.
The complaint alleged that the parent companies of Carquest stores in California charged customers higher prices at checkout than the listed shelf price explained the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney's Office.
According to the the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney's Office, the allegations were based on evidence collected over a seven-year investigation by multiple county-based weights and measures departments which included:
- Overcharges of an average of 12 percent on items tested between 2017 and 2023
- The number of overcharged items increased by 14 percent in 2022
- Weights and Measures inspectors from 20 counties inspected 43 stores and found that 39 of them failed the price accuracy inspection
Carquest settled a similar lawsuit in 2012 in San Diego County and was ordered to pay $242,715.40 as well as agreed to begin additional audits of its products to ensure the accuracy of prices shared the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney's Office.
"Many shoppers have had the frustrating experience of being charged at the register a higher price than advertised on the store shelf. Our Consumer Protection laws require accuracy and assure confidence and integrity in the marketplace," said District Attorney Dow regarding the settlement. "I am pleased with the efforts in this case by our office’s Consumer Protection Unit and that of our partners in the San Diego County and Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Offices."
Consumers can report potential price accuracy issued to the San Luis Obispo County Department of Agriculture/Weights and Measures using the Weights and Measures Complaint Form.
You can also report consumer complaints directly to the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney's office using the following forms available in English or Spanish.
