Kroger Mistakenly Charged Charleston Tax Outside City Limits

Kroger says three of its grocery stores outside of Charleston’s city limits have been mistakenly charging customers a 1 percent city sales tax.

Kroger spokesman John Lambert said Tuesday that stores in the Kanawha County communities of St. Albans, Cross Lanes and Marmet have been adding the city sales tax to the 6 percent state sales tax on select items such as prepared foods, alcoholic beverages and health and beauty products.

Lambert says the mistake was discovered Monday. The amount collected by the error totaled $13,700.

Lambert says Cincinnati-based Kroger will donate the $13,700 to flood relief efforts in West Virginia. Customers can bring receipts showing the mistake to stores for a refund.

Charleston’s 1 percent sales tax went into effect in July 2015.