Frustration over soaring food prices motivated many voters to overturn the last election. The prices you pay at the grocery checkout are 28% higher than they were in 2019, according to a Consumer Price Index report.

But a KIRO 7 News investigation shows many shoppers are being overcharged on top of inflated prices due to a growing number of pricing errors at checkout scanners.

“We’re seeing a higher failure rate and we’re using the same inspection criteria,” said John Megow, who leads the City of Seattle’s Consumer Protection Inspection Team. A store “fails” inspection if more than 2% of scanned prices – at random – are incorrect.

The city’s retail price inspectors saw an average of 4 to 5 percent of stores failing inspection.

Recently, this failure rate increased to 12%. Failing three random inspections could result in a $2,000 fine.

A longtime grocery manager who has worked for Albertsons, Safeway, Kroger and Walmart told KIRO 7 that he has seen more large (more than $10) overcharging errors in the past two years than they had never seen one before.

“I’ve seen people overcharged as much as $20,” said the official, who asked KIRO 7 not to identify them.

“The grocery store staff is just overwhelmed,” the manager said. “Prices change daily, weekly, and usually only one or two people in the store work to keep track of every price tag in the store. Customers get angry, but it’s not intentional, it’s a personnel issue. »

California inspectors found so many recent pricing errors at grocery stores that they fined Albertsons, Safeway and Vons $3.9 million.

Monday at 5:45 p.m., KIRO 7 reveals why most customers never realize they’re being overcharged and why a Washington state agency that previously conducted price checks at stores has stopped inspections.

The investigation also reveals price gouging at local grocery stores in three counties.

Monday on KIRO 7 News at 5:30 p.m. we’ll show what our own investigation reveals: overcharging, why it happens and why you should always check your receipt.