WA AG Sues Albertsons, Safeway Over Alleged Deceptive Practices

WA State Attorney General Nick Brown's Office announced the lawsuit Monday, April 27th.

State AG Sues Albertsons, Safeway, Over Alleged Deceptive Practices

Brown's Office says the alleged deception goes back over the last five years.

Albertsons, based in Boise, oversees all of the 225 Albertsons, Safeway and Haggen stores in WA State. The suit claims when the stores offered 'buy one-get one free' specials, the original prices of the buy item was unfairly inflated.

The lawsuit claims in the weeks prior to the special, the prices of such items as bread, cereal, fresh produce and other items were raised, overcharging consumers in the interim. Then they would lower the prices within about 30 days after the sale is over.

AG Claims Consumers Thought They Were Getting a "Free Item."

Due to the previous inflated price, consumers were actually 'not' getting a free item.

According to the AG's Office:

:...a Gig Harbor Albertsons hiked the price of a bottle of olive oil to $10.99 for the BOGO promotion from $6.99 a week earlier, an increase of 57%. After the “buy one get one free” deal ended, the store dropped the price back down to $6.99."

AG's Office Says Previous Issues As Well

The suit claims between 2019 and 2025, at least 3 million transactions were affected, bringing in about $19.7 million. The AG's Office says previously, Albertsons paid $107 million in 2016 to settle previous BOGO claims in Oregon stores.

Per the information release, the AG's Office:

"...is asking the court to rule that the stores’ conduct violates state law, stop the defendants’ use of unfair and deceptive BOGO promotions, provide restitution to Washington consumers, and pay civil penalties for each violation of state law as well as pre-judgment interest."

The lawsuit is only in WA State, no other states were said to be included.