Ralph's is ripping off shoppers, claims L.A. City Attorney

California grocery chain Ralph's has been ringing up more than the worth of its products. Or so says the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office, which filed suit alleging the grocery chain -- and its parent company Kroger -- have been overcharging for prepackaged and weighed goods.

In other words, if you shopped at Ralph's and thought that package of deli meat seemed a little lighter than the price warranted, you may have been right.

Undercover inspectors for the attorney's office found 27 violations of overcharges. Things like fried chicken, self-service salads and store-packaged frozen foods were all incorrectly priced, failing to take into account the weight of the packaging or ice if the item was frozen. In some cases, the inspector found the product actually weighed 3.5% less than was indicated on the package.

Ralph's and Kroger are facing fines of up to $256,000 each for the multiple penalties.

Kroger spokeswoman Meghan Glynn told the LA Times that it "takes allegations such as these seriously. We are conducting our own investigation and will take corrective actions as necessary."