Albertsons Settlement

The Attorney General’s Office has reached an agreement with Albertsons LLC over allegations several of the company’s stores refused to honor sales prices printed in the company’s weekly flyers. The agreement calls for $200,000 for consumer restitution, fees and costs and the Attorney General will hold the entire amount available for potential consumer restitution.

Last summer, Albertsons began closing several of its stores, but shoppers complained the closing stores would not honor the sales in the advertising flyers and the flyers had no mention of this exemption. After receiving complaints, the Attorney General’s Economic Crimes Division began investigating and ultimately obtained the agreement with the supermarket chain over the alleged conduct at more than 20 Florida stores.

Under the agreement, Albertsons will provide consumer restitution to any customers who were shopping for certain items based on their sales prices in the flyer, but were unable to find the advertised prices in the stores. Valid reimbursement claims must be based on newspaper ads between July 20 and August 15, 2008; must include the address or location of one or more of the Albertson’s supermarkets which did not honor the ads; and must state the Albertson’s supermarket did not honor a price advertised in the newspaper ad. A proof of purchase will also be required and consumers may only file one claim per person.

Claims forms must be submitted on or before August 3, 2009, as determined by postmark date.