Ohio-based grocery chain under investigation for alleged price gouging and selling shopper data for profit

While prices are up everywhere, an Ohio-based grocery chain is allegedly gouging them even more. Oh, and possibly selling your data.

An investigation by Consumer Reports, The Guardian, and the Food & Environment Reporting Network alleges that Kroger customers are being overcharged on many items that are marked as “discounted” or “on sale.”

Kroger employees in Colorado, who are currently in labor negotiations with the supermarket chain, are the ones who allege this happening in stores.

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During this investigation, Consumer Reports, The Guardian, and the Food & Environment Reporting Network recruited “secret shoppers” to shop at more than two dozen Kroger stores in 14 different states during a three-month period this year. The investigation found that expired sales labels led to overcharges in more than 150 grocery items, marked up 18.4% per item. For example, a bag of Mission Flour Tortillas at a Virginia store were advertised on sale for $2.99, but customers were actually charged $4.99 for them when they checked out.

The “characterization of widespread pricing concerns is patently false,” according to a Kroger spokesperson who emailed CBS Moneywatch.

In another investigation, Consumer Reports found that punching your Kroger loyalty card in could be fueling a billion-dollar business that you never agreed to. The investigation found that Kroger allegedly collects and monetizes data from its 63 million loyalty program members. According to this investigation, Kroger has been collecting data on its customers to track their loyalty, then selling that data to the highest bidder.

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