Store is guilty of price gouging
Owner agrees to donate $20,000 to Alameda food bank
PLEASANTON >> A Pleasanton grocery store accused of price gouging, charging up to 400% more during the pandemic, has pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges.
The grocery store Apna Bazar, located on Pimlico Drive, and its owner Rajvinder Singh were charged with nine counts of price gouging in May, after the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office was made aware of customers complaining about raised prices shortly after the emergency shelter-in-place order took effect in the county on March 17, 2020.
The district attorney’s office and the California Department of Justice joined forces to charge the store and owner with nine counts, the first price-gouging case of its kind in Alameda County.
The grocery store itself, Apna Bazar, pleaded guilty to two counts of price gouging and the other seven were dismissed as part of a plea deal; charges against Singh were dismissed. The store will also donate $20,000 to the nonprofit Alameda County Community Food Bank.
The law prohibits charging a price that is more than 10% of what the item sold for before the state or local emergency. The complaint alleged that Singh illegally raised the prices of essential foods at his store more than 10%, ranging from 60% to 400%.
The items with raised prices included yellow onions, ginger, green beans, instant noodles, tea, chili peppers, pomegranates and red yams.
“The law prevents businesses from profiteering during a declared state of emergency. This case marks the first successful prosecution in Alameda County for price gouging in the time of the pandemic,” said District Attorney Nancy O’Malley in a statement. “My office is committed to ensuring that businesses adhere to the law and do not exploit consumers.”
The $20,000 donation to the nonprofit food bank comes at a time when many in the community are struggling to be able to afford food.
“This year has been difficult for all of us, and many neighbors have needed a helping hand to ensure that their family members were nourished and remained healthy,” said Suzan Bateson, executive director of Alameda County Community Food Bank, in a statement. “This donation will help us provide thousands of meals to children, adults and seniors.”
Posts on social media and pictures received by the district attorney’s office last year noted that prices on the shelves were crossed out and new ones scribbled in. One customer complained that the store was charging “whatever they want.” On Yelp.com, several customers complained of the price gouging, warning fellow customers to not shop at the store.
The district attorney’s office interviewed Singh last year, who told the inspector that he had been forced to turn to other suppliers to keep his shelves stocked, and he was passing on the added costs to customers. But when asked for justification for these price increases, he allegedly never got back to the district attorney’s inspector, according to court documents.
The district attorney’s office has set up a pricegouging email, price gouging@acgov.org, and encourages those who have been a victim of the crime to email.