Washington Attorney General Nick Brown has taken Albertsons Companies, the parent of Safeway and Haggen, to court, accusing the grocery giant of turning buy-one-get-one deals into a bad bargain for shoppers. The lawsuit claims the chain quietly hiked regular prices before certain BOGO promotions so customers ended up covering the cost of that so-called "free" second item in the inflated price of the first. Brown's office is asking a judge to shut down the practice, order restitution for affected shoppers, and tack on civil penalties.
According to The Seattle Times, the case was filed in King County Superior Court and alleges that Albertsons overcharged Washington shoppers in more than 3 million transactions between October 2019 and May 2024. The complaint points to patterns where prices jumped right before BOGO promotions, then dropped back down once the sale ended.
Examples Cited In The Complaint
At a news conference, Brown told reporters that shoppers "think that they’re getting a bargain" but are actually paying an inflated price for that first item, KIRO 7 reported. One example in the complaint focuses on a Gig Harbor store, where a bottle of olive oil jumped from $6.99 to $10.99 ahead of a BOGO promotion, roughly a 57 percent increase, then returned to $6.99 when the promotion ended.
Past Lawsuits And A Large Oregon Settlement
The Washington lawsuit lands on top of similar allegations elsewhere. Safeway and Albertsons agreed to a $107 million settlement in Oregon in 2023 after accusations that meat prices were inflated during BOGO promotions, according to Supermarket News. A separate 2023 federal complaint in California also accused the company of deceptive BOGO pricing that allegedly harmed nearly 1 million shoppers, as reported by The Mercury News.
Legal Stakes
The state is bringing the case under Washington's consumer-protection laws and is asking the court to block what it describes as unfair and deceptive BOGO promotions, require restitution for shoppers, and impose civil penalties, The Seattle Times reports. If Brown prevails, the outcome could restrict how grocery chains advertise items as "free" and could reshape pricing practices tied to loyalty programs and coupons.
Albertsons' Response And What’s Next
Albertsons Companies is pushing back. Local coverage notes that the retailer "strongly disagrees with the attorney general's analysis and data" and is expected to fight the case in court, according to KIRO 7. The company operates roughly 200 to 225 stores in Washington under the Albertsons, Safeway, and Haggen names, and consumer advocates and other state attorneys general are likely to watch the case closely for its broader implications.
What Shoppers Should Know
For now, Washington shoppers who rely on loyalty cards may want to hang on to receipts and keep an eye on regular shelf prices before and after promotions. Records from receipts and loyalty accounts can help track any suspected discrepancies. The King County lawsuit will move forward in state court and could eventually result in restitution or changes in how BOGO sales are presented to customers.
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