Ohio food banks will be benefiting from the state’s settlement with Family Dollar.

>>PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Family Dollar sued by Attorney General over alleged deceptive pricing

The $400,000 agreement earmarks $250,000 for food banks statewide, the Ohio Attorney General’s office announced Tuesday.

News Center 7 reported in 2022 that Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost sued Family Dollar over alleged deceptive pricing. Auditor inspectors found prices on shelves at the store did not match prices rung up at the register.

Yost recently entered into a $1 million settlement with Dollar General, with $750,000 distributed back in December to auditor-selected food pantries.

“Our county auditors play a vital role in making sure that retailers operating in Ohio have fair and honest pricing,” he said. “That’s why we’re partnering with the auditors and channeling settlement dollars back into our communities.”

Family Dollar has close to 500 stores in Ohio.

>>I-TEAM: Settlement funds for Dollar General price swapping lawsuit being used for local foodbank

As part of the settlement with the state, Family Dollar must also make changes to ensure accurate pricing, including:

• Adequately staffing stores to maintain accurate shelf tags.

• Immediately adjust the registered price to match the shelf tag when a consumer identifies a discrepancy, and, within 24 hours, correct the shelf tag.

• Requiring store managers and district managers to conduct monthly and bimonthly random price checks.

• Requiring stores with three “failed” auditor inspections within six months to undergo a full-store assessment within seven days of the third failed inspection – one that involves checking the price of every item for accuracy.

• Educating all employees about these policies and posting signs in its Ohio stores informing customers of the same.