Ralphs Grocery Company announced that it will pay more than $1.1 million in civil penalties, costs and restitution to settle allegations that it overcharged customers on deli and other weighed food products and failed to deduct the weight of packaging on those items. Under terms of the settlement approved by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Gregory Alarcon, Ralphs, without admitting liability, agreed to an injunction and to pay $1 million in civil penalties, $13,820 in costs and $100,000 in restitution to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, according to the City Attorney's Office. The $1 million in civil penalties will be split between the City Attorney's Office and Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, both of which investigated the case. Also under the provisions: Ralphs is prohibited from charging, at the time of sale of a food item, a value that is more than the price advertised, posted, marked displayed or quoted; Ralphs may not sell any commodity in a smaller quantity than it is represented to be, and is not to make any false or misleading statements to the public with respect to the price of items offered for sale; and; For the next four years, Ralphs must maintain a comprehensive compliance program to improve pricing accuracy and correct errors.

Ralphs Grocery Company announced that a tentative agreement has been reached with United Food & Commercial Workers Union or UFCW Locals representing its associates. It includes associates working in stores and pharmacies. The fully recommended agreement is with UFCW Locals 8, 135, 324, 770, 1167, 1428 and 1442. The agreement covers 19,000 Ralphs associates working in 256 stores in Southern California. The stores are located in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.