Customers at Topeka Walmart locations being ‘double-taxed’

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - When the calendar flipped to January 1st, the state sales tax on food dropped from 6.5% to 4%.

But several people who shopped at Topeka Walmart stores sent us receipts, showing they were taxed twice for their food items.

“When we left the store, we were kind of surprised at how much it seemed like it was and we kind of bantered stuff back and forth trying to figure it out. And when we got home and started doing the math, they ended up charging us double tax on all the food is what it boils down to in the end,” Jim Wilmington said.

Jim and Cheryl Wilmington knew the math wasn’t adding up, they tried to call the North Topeka Walmart location where they shopped, but the store didn’t pick up the phone.

They wanted other people to know about the issue.

“We just wanted to get the word out so that consumers were not paying double like we did, and what they said the response we kept hearing was ‘man I’m gonna check my receipt,’ people had tagged other people and said check your receipt.,” Cheryl Wilmington said.

Several other customers also reached out to 13 News, one told him the store he had to contact the corporate office, but several others others said they went to customer service and were given their money back.

The Wilmington’s haven’t tried that yet, they just hope the problem is fixed.

“Our biggest thing is as consumers if we all got together and said Walmart either fix it or we’re not coming, it seems like the power of numbers,” Cheryl said.

One tip they suggest to make double-checking easier is to separate your food items from the non-food items.

“Go to your self checkout, do all the food together then total it and pay for it. Then do all your non-food, total it and pay for it. And check your receipts each time,” said Cheryl.

13 News has reached out to Walmart’s corporate office, the Kansas Department of Revenue and the Governor’s office, but none have responded yet.

However, we did see a receipt from someone who shopped at the North Walmart today, and it appeared to be taxed correctly.

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