South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced that the state’s price gouging law is now in effect following Governor Henry McMaster’s declaration of a state of emergency. The declaration comes as a precaution ahead of a tropical weather system expected to bring heavy rains and potential flooding along the coast.
“This is just a precaution, and we’re not seeing any impacts yet, but we have to be prepared. If these storms do cause problems, we could see normal price increases for goods and services, and those are not considered price gouging under our law. But, we may see businesses and individuals try to unfairly take advantage of the situation through price gouging of food, gasoline, lodging, and other commodities as defined by the statute. By our law, that’s a criminal violation and an unfair trade practice,” Attorney General Wilson said.
The state’s price gouging statute (SC §39-5-145) prohibits excessive pricing during declared disasters. This law remains active until the state of emergency ends or is terminated. Violators can face misdemeanor charges with penalties including up to $1,000 in fines or 30 days in jail.
Wilson emphasized that typical changes in prices are not considered violations under this law. He encouraged residents who believe they have been affected by price gouging to gather relevant information such as receipts or documentation and report it to his office via email or through their website at https://www.scag.gov/price-gouging/. Reports can also be made by phone if online access is unavailable.
