Kroger Unit Adds Non-Refundable Bottle Deposits, Suit Says

Kroger unit Fred Meyer overcharges Oregon customers by collecting bottle deposits on drink containers that can’t be returned for a refund, a new proposed class suit alleges.

The retailer’s pricing practices violate Oregon’s consumer protection laws, Elisha Solano and others say in a suit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon.

Oregon’s bottle law requires stores to charge a 10-cent refundable deposit for most beverages sold in sealed glass, metal, and plastic bottles or cans.

Stores may charge the 10-cent deposit in addition to the drinks’ advertised prices, the complaint says.

Customers get their deposits back ...