Body of News Release
Marin County, CA – It was an up-and-down year for those closely watching out for consumers in Marin County, and those are both good things.
What’s up? Accuracy in charges to consumers by retail businesses.
What’s down? Overcharges. Fewer customers paid more than they were supposed to.
Those are two of the key highlights from the Marin County Consumer Protection Report for 2025, produced by the Marin County Agriculture Commissioner and the Department of Weights and Measures (AWM).
AWM, one of the County’s 22 departments, conducted 9,921 inspections at 399 local businesses in 2025. These inspections included testing the accuracy of commercial weighing and measuring devices, such as gas pumps, electric submeters, and retail scales. They also completed 265 price accuracy inspections, examining 7,679 items and finding 151 overcharges, down from 220 in 2024. Consumer-driven investigations declined as well, with 55 complaints reviewed in 2025, a 25% decrease from 74 the previous year.
Joe Deviney, who leads that department, said 2025 was the most accurate year since 2016 for measurements on all of Marin’s commercial devices, such as weight scales, cordage meters, and fuel pumps. Marin businesses found to be compliant with price accuracy requirements on initial inspections was 77.7%, up from 58.1% in 2022.
“The work our Weights and Measures team performs every day is essential,” Deviney said. “We safeguard every consumer in Marin, every purchase, every transaction. Seeing the measurable impact of that protection is incredibly rewarding. I’m proud of my entire team; their commitment is outstanding.”
Whenever someone is passing the time while fueling up at a gas station, they can check the sticker seal on the pump. A scale that has a red sticker or a red, white, and blue sticker has been tested for dispensing accuracy within the past two years. Green or yellow stickers indicate that the station is next in line for an accuracy recheck.
“Consumers should always report to our office if they see no seals at all on a pump in Marin County,” Deviney said. “That means the pumps were replaced or it’s a new station. The pumps need to be tested before they can be used commercially.”
Business owners and managers are reminded to remove promotional signage immediately after the expiration date of the sale or special offer. If the sign is still up, that’s the price customers are entitled to pay. “By law, there’s no such thing as an expired sale sign,” Deviney said.
Even though AWM is one of the smallest among the County’s 22 departments and has just eight field inspectors who juggle many agricultural programs as well, those inspectors logged more than 5,700 hours last year working to ensure fairness at the register and trust at the pump.
Some businesses have settled in court or had injunctions imposed on them because of frequently overcharging consumers and failing price accuracy inspections. Shoppers should ask if there’s any credit given for bringing an overcharge to the store’s attention. Some stores give the item for free or provide a $5 gift card.
When it comes to enforcement, AWM emphasizes education over punishment. Noncompliant businesses are provided educational resources and the opportunity for re-inspection before facing fines or legal action. However, serious or repeated violations are referred to the District Attorney’s Consumer Protection Division. New businesses can use the online registration form.
The department also highlights its commitment to accessibility and transparency. Residents are encouraged to review receipts, monitor posted prices, and report concerns. Reporting tools are available online and through a multilingual consumer protection hotline, 415-473-7888.
The AWM website has additional information to help ensure consumers are paying the correct price at retail outlets, including a complaint form.