Some Henrico stores mistakenly charging plastic bag tax

Henrico County officials are encouraging shoppers to review their store receipts closely after reports of businesses in the county incorrectly charging a local tax on plastic bags.

A 5-cent tax on disposable plastic bags took effect in Richmond on Jan. 1, but Henrico County does not charge such a tax.

Consumers who believe they may have been improperly charged a bag tax in Henrico are encouraged to present their receipts to the businesses and request a refund. They also are asked to report the issue by calling (804) 501-4310 or visiting henrico.gov/services/reporting-tax-violation/.

Since Jan. 2, the Henrico Department of Finance has fielded more than 20 complaints about erroneous bag tax charges at several national chain stores, including CVS, Walmart and Wawa. Officials have been contacting the stores, both locally and through central offices, to clarify the situation and alert the companies that no bag tax is collected in Henrico.

Stores in the county and elsewhere are allowed to charge for bags, but the fee cannot be collected as a tax, said Matt Chafin, Henrico's deputy director of Finance. One store visited by county officials was collecting a bag tax even though it was identified as a “fee” on customer receipts.

“You do have to look carefully and ask some questions,” Chafin said. “If you’re concerned about what you’re seeing on your receipt, if it’s not clear, you can certainly ask the store manager.”