In a trending video with more than 183,000 views, a customer called out Walmart and accused the store of scamming customers. In the video, Jo (@hiz_yellow_dirt_road) walks over to the produce section, where they have a digital scale.
He placed a half-loin roast he'd picked up in the meat aisle onto the produce scale and it read 4.53 pounds. All good, right? Well, the issue is that the number on the scale is far off from what's on the package, which claims the same hunk of meat is 5.04 pounds -- that's a whole half pound more.
"That's ... insane, Walmart. I keep catching you guys mislabeling this stuff and overcharging us for underweight products, you ... greedy b -- -- -," Jo says, clearly upset that customers are seemingly being systematically taken advantage of. "The scale is in perfect working order."
The incident comes at a time when food prices remain high, and households are feeling the squeeze.
Since 2019, food costs have risen roughly 30.7%, driven by a combination of higher production and labor costs, supply chain disruptions, and corporate pricing strategies, NerdWallet reported.
Although inflation has cooled somewhat over the past year, new tariffs are expected to push prices up again, with analysts estimating an overall 2.6% short-term increase and around 3% longer-term once businesses and consumers adjust.
From farm to supermarket, rising costs for fuel, equipment, and raw materials have trickled down to grocery store shelves.
Beef, for example, is at historic highs due to drought, high grain prices, and reduced herd sizes. Global events -- including the war in Ukraine and outbreaks like bird flu -- have disrupted supply chains for staple foods, while companies have sometimes resorted to "shrinkflation" to maintain profits despite higher costs.
In this environment, even small discrepancies in product weights can hit consumers harder than ever.
For shoppers like Jo, being charged for a 5.04-pound roast that actually weighs 4.53 pounds isn't just frustrating; it's another unexpected cost at a time when every ounce and every dollar counts.
Jo's viral video comes amid a broader backdrop of scrutiny over Walmart's pricing practices.
Earlier in the month, the retailer agreed to a $5.6 million settlement in California over allegations of overcharging customers and selling underweight products, the Economic Times reported. Multiple district attorneys accused Walmart of inflating prices and mislabeling weights across a variety of items.
As part of the settlement, Walmart will pay civil penalties, cover investigative costs, and implement measures to ensure pricing accuracy.
"Call your state department of weights and measures," a top comment suggested.
"I talked to them- they are going to inspect a LOT of the inventory," Jo responded.
"Where's the lawsuit already. So many people complaining. Someone needs to get their money," a person said.
BroBible reached out to Jo for comment via TikTok direct message and comment and to Walmart via email.