Walmart Fined for Instituting ‘Sugar Tax’ That Did Not Exist in New York

The relationship between the Attorney General of New York and a major retailer is not so sweet following the settlement of a lawsuit this week.

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has announced that the state has settled the probe into claims of false advertising by Walmart over a fake "sugar tax."

Walmart has agreed to pay almost $70,000 from a nationwide soda sale that took place in June.

The sale, which took place around Father's Day, involved twelve-packs of Coca Cola, advertised for $3.00 each.  When customers went to check out they were charged an extra fifty cents.  Those who complained were told that the State of New York implemented a sugar tax.  This, the Attorney General says, was not the case and there is no such tax in the state.

Schneiderman says the nearly sixteen percent markup violated state laws.

The settlement covers all 177 Walmart stores in New York.

There has not been an announcement yet as to whether, or how, affected consumers will be repaid.