Those sweet buy-one, get-one-free sales at Safeway and Albertsons grocery stores may not be the deals you thought they were, according to a new suit by Washington state’s attorney general.

From 2019 to 2024, Boise, Idaho-based Albertsons, owner of Safeway and Haggen, routinely raised prices on products leading up to “buy one, get one free” promotions, creating an illusion of savings while overcharging consumers, according to the suit, filed Monday in King County Superior Court.

Consumers walk into these stores, think that they’re getting a bargain,” state Attorney General Nick Brown said at a news conference Monday.…