District Attorney, County Ag/Weights & Measures secure consumer protection settlement

A person using a handheld scanning device to check prices on grocery store shelves stocked with Rice-A-Roni products. — *A San Bernardino County Agriculture/Weights & Measure standards officer conducts a routine price verification audit at a local retail grocery store to ensure pricing accuracy.*

Thanks in large part to the efforts of San Bernardino County District Attorney Jason Anderson’s office and the San Bernardino County Department of Agriculture/Weights & Measures, Walmart has entered into a stipulated judgment and will pay $5.7 million to settle a civil law enforcement complaint alleging that the largest American retailer engaged in false advertising and unfair competition in California.

The Consumer Protection Units of the District Attorney’s offices in San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Clara and Sonoma counties investigated and prosecuted the case, which was ﬁled in San Diego County Superior Court.

District Attorney Anderson noted, “Our Consumer Protection Unit works tirelessly to hold retailers accountable for their legal obligations and to ensure that our residents are able to trust that the advertised quantity, weight, and price of a product is accurate.”

Deputy District Attorney Rick C. Lal with the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Specialized Prosecutions Division prosecuted this case. He highlighted that the judgment includes an injunction prohibiting Walmart from engaging in false or misleading advertising. It also requires the retailer to maintain regional compliance associates who will be responsible for price accuracy in California stores in addition to individual store managers.

Prosecutor Lal further noted that the judgment requires Walmart to pay $5.5 million in civil penalties and $139,801.92 in costs to cover the weights and measures investigation as well as support future enforcement of consumer protection laws. Walmart has not admitted any liability or wrongdoing and cooperated with weights and measures inspectors throughout the state and with prosecutors.

The San Bernardino County Department of Agriculture/Weights & Measures is the agency that inspected Walmart locations throughout San Bernardino County and is instrumental in monitoring retailers to make sure that consumers are being charged accurate prices and weight packaging. Consumers may report overcharges to the San Bernardino County Department of Weights and Measures by calling 909-387-2105 or emailing awm@awm.sbcounty.gov.

Additional County Update News – August 14, 2025