The big-box chain store Lowe’s Home Improvement agreed to settle a civil consumer protection lawsuit brought by multiple California counties, including the counties of Alameda and Sonoma in the greater Bay Area.
Lowe’s will pay about $1.1 million to resolve complaints alleging false advertising and unfair competition, according to a news release from the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office.
The complaint was filed in San Diego County and was also joined by the counties of Orange, Los Angeles and San Bernardino.
The company, which operates 110 stores in California, was accused of charging more than its lowest advertised or posted price.
The settlement includes an injunction against engaging in false or misleading advertising and requires Lowe’s to take certain steps to improve its verification of the accuracy of its prices, including conducting more internal audits and assigning more employees responsibility for price accuracy.
The company also agreed not to raise prices over the weekend, according to Sonoma County District Attorney Carla Rodriguez’s Office.
“Our Environmental and Consumer Law Division is working with other District Attorney’s Offices throughout California, to hold companies accountable, ensure that consumers get the benefit of their bargains, and enforce California’s robust consumer protection laws,” Rodriguez said in a statement.
The settlement included $1 million in civil penalties and about $90,000 to pay for the counties’ investigations.
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