Switching Labels at the Grocery Store - Is It Theft?

 Posted on July 25, 2024 in Theft

With the rise of self-checkouts in grocery stores, many individuals may engage in switching labels between items in order to pay less. It may seem harmless, but switching labels at a grocery store can be considered theft in Illinois. It is vital to reach out to a knowledgeable Illinois retail theft defense lawyer if you have been charged with retail theft after switching labels to understand your rights and options.

What to Know About Price Switching

Price switching is the common term for when someone switches the scannable label of a cheaper grocery store item onto a more highly-priced grocery store item. These items are typically taken through the self-checkout of grocery stores or retail stores, with automated computer scanners much less likely to catch a discrepancy between the items being scanned and the ones that actually end up in the bag.

Under the Illinois Criminal Code of 2012, altering, tampering, or otherwise switching a price label in a retail store, including a grocery store, counts as retail theft. The person doing the price switching generally has the intention of paying less than the fair retail price for a grocery item, which is also part of the definition of retail theft in Illinois.

Penalties for Price Switching in Illinois

Price switching in Illinois could be a misdemeanor or a felony depending on the value of the items and a few other circumstances. Penalties for price switching include:

• Class A misdemeanors, when the value of the stolen items adds up to $300 or less. A Class A misdemeanor includes up to a year of jail time and a fine of up to $2,500.

• Class 3 felonies, when the value of the stolen items is more than $300 at one time or more than $300 in a year. A Class 3 felony carries a penalty of between two and five years jail time plus a fine up of to $25,000.

Additionally, if you have previous retail theft convictions and the value of stolen items is $3600 or less, the penalty is upgraded to a Class 4 felony, which carries between one and three years of jail time plus fines of up to $25,000.

If an emergency exit is used during retail theft, the penalty increases to a Class 2 felony, something that carries between three and seven years of jail time and up to $25,000 in fines.

Contact an Elgin, IL Retail Theft Defense Attorney

While many people may not think that switching labels at a grocery store is a serious crime, the reality is that you can end up facing charges for retail theft if you are caught. A skilled Kane County, IL retail theft defense lawyer is vital to minimizing the impact of these charges on your record and to advocate for a beneficial outcome.

Attorney Mirandola is a former Assistant State’s Attorney who will help you understand your rights and take every step possible to try and avoid a conviction.

Contact The Law Office of Brian J. Mirandola at 847-488-0889 for a free consultation.