Source: CounterPunch
by Dean Baker
“The Guardian had a fascinating piece on how the Dollar store chains (both Dollar General and Family Dollar) seem to have a practice of advertising lower prices on their shelves than what they ring up at the register when the person checks out. The evidence they present in the piece indicates that these mispricing cases may account for more than 20 percent of all sales. … This piece is striking for three reasons. First, insofar as this sort of cheating is common, it indicates that inflation could be greater than is generally recognized. Second, it brings home the problem of ‘affordability’ in a way that many of us probably did not anticipate. … Finally, it shows how the Trump-Musk habit of laughing at consumer fraud has very real pocketbook effects.” (12/08/25)
https://www.counterpunch.org/2025/12/08/dollar-stores-where-trumpian-sleaze-meets-affordability/