Georgia has reached settlements with Augusta-based Smile Grocery, formerly known as Pope’s Grocery, and Vidalia-based Dhruv 1995 LLC d/b/a Fast Break II over allegations that the companies engaged in price gouging during the declared state of emergency related to Hurricane Helene.
According to the office of Attorney General Chris Carr, as part of the settlements, Smile Grocery paid $10,000 to the state, while Fast Break II paid $7,255.
Following Hurricane Helene, the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division received numerous complaints from consumers that the Smile Grocery gas station was overcharging for gas. The office also received complaints about the gas prices that Fast Break II was charging consumers.
The Consumer Protection Division launched investigations in response to those complaints, and based on the findings of those investigations, Carr alleged that both businesses violated the Fair Business Practices Act by engaging in price gouging during a declared state of emergency.
The businesses entered into settlements with the Carr’s Office. They agreed not to advertise, offer to sell, or sell any good or service identified by the governor in a declaration of a state of emergency at a price higher than the price at which such goods or services were sold or offered for sale immediately before the declaration of the state of emergency unless such increase accurately reflects an increase in cost of the goods or services to the businesses or an increase in the cost of transporting the goods or services into the area.