A $1 energy drink at a North Hollywood 7-Eleven was listed at $3.49 at checkout during a reporter’s visit, one example of the gap between shelf and register prices found at Los Angeles County stores. County inspection results and later store visits indicate the mismatch was not limited to a single purchase.
A Guardian investigation reported that 7-Eleven and Circle K customers were charged more at checkout than shelf prices for items including snacks, beverages, toiletries, tobacco and medications. In Los Angeles County, 7-Eleven failed 335 of 909 price-accuracy inspections, a 37% failure rate. The investigation also identified high rates at two individual locations: a Huntington Park store had a 67% overcharge rate in 2024, and a North Hollywood store had a 50% rate that year; the locations are about 19 miles apart.
Reporters Found the Pattern Still Holding in July
In July, a Guardian reporter returned to 10 Los Angeles County 7-Eleven stores that had previously failed price-accuracy inspections and bought 10 items at each. Half of the shopping trips included overcharges, the outlet reported. At the North Hollywood store, five items rang up above their advertised prices.
Among the North Hollywood examples, a tropical fruit-flavored snack marked $1 rang up at $2.89. A Hershey’s Mr. Goodbar listed at $2.29 cost $3.49 at checkout; an energy drink marked $1 with a rewards card also rang up at $3.49. Separately, the New York Post reported that five of 13 items sampled at a Pomona 7-Eleven in 2025 rang up above their shelf prices. The store also failed to honor a two-for-$5 offer on Quest protein chips.
Store Employees Point to Staffing and Sticker Lag
Five store employees told the Post that some shelf labels had not been updated. A North Hollywood employee described staff balancing checkout, cleaning, deliveries and stocking, and said price changes can leave labels outdated for as long as two weeks. The employee disputed describing the problem as overcharging…