BATON ROUGE, LA – With the Governor declaring a public health emergency
due to the Coronavirus, Attorney General Jeff Landry encourages Louisiana
consumers to be conscious of price gouging.
“If consumers suspect price gouging, they should report
it to their local law enforcement agencies,” said General Landry. “We do not
want people or businesses to illegally take advantage of this crisis.”
Price gouging is defined as the increase in prices or
value for goods and services that are higher than the prices ordinarily charged
for comparable goods and services at or immediately before the time of a state
of emergency. Once a state of emergency is declared by the governor or parish
president, a price gouging ban is placed on the area declared to be under the state
of emergency. The ban may remain in effect for up to 30 days after the initial declared state of
emergency and may be renewed in subsequent proclamations.
In addition to civil penalties and restitutions for
consumers, a violation of the price gouging statute may be a criminal offense
punishable by a fine up to $500, 6 months imprisonment, or both;
imprisonment at hard labor for not more than 5 years where there is any serious
bodily injury or any property damage in excess of $5,000.00; and imprisonment
at hard labor for not more than 21 years where a willful violation results in
the death of any person.
It is important to note that price gouging is not
attributable to verifiable market fluctuations and usually involves
gasoline, hotels, and generators. When reporting price gouging, consumers
should include as much information as possible including: the name and address
of the merchant, the price and receipt of the item or service, and their names,
addresses, and phone numbers so they may be reached if further information is
needed.