Lancaster County Judge Rejects Allegations Over Gas Price Signs

LINCOLN–(AP July 9)–A judge has ruled against the Coalition for Ethical Petroleum Marketing and several individuals who sued the owner of six convenience stores along Interstate 80 in Nebraska, saying the stores posted misleading signs about gas prices.

Judge Robert Otte said in his ruling filed Monday in Lancaster County District Court that the complainants had failed to show Wilkinson Development Inc. intended to deceive customers and that its practices were misleading or deceptive under Nebraska law.

A nonjury trial was held earlier this spring on the February 2017 lawsuit.

The lawsuit said Wilkinson posts low prices on station signs to attract travelers to its Fat Dog stores but sells gas at those prices only at a limited number of pumps, hoping travelers accidentally fill up with more expensive fuel.

Company President Mark Wilkinson denied the accusation during his testimony, saying he just tries to offer a lot of different products and let consumers decide what they want.