Florida Court Dismisses Case Against Rite Aid

Rite Aid Corp. said a Florida state court has dismissed a lawsuit charging the drugstore chain with deceptive trade practices, civil theft and racketeering. Rite Aid, based in Camp Hill, Pa., said a circuit court in Tallahassee dismissed the suit, which was filed by the Florida attorney general in September. The suit included accusations that Rite Aid billed customers different prices for the same prescription drugs. “The court said there are no laws, rules, regulations, or federal or state cases to suggest that Rite Aid’s former pricing policies involving certain cash prescriptions were unfair or deceptive,” Rite Aid said. Rite Aid, which has not operated stores in Florida for several years, added that the judge’s decision “confirms . . . that our pricing practices were, and continue to be, well within the law.” Rite Aid said the federal district court of Alabama, where it operates 140 stores, also recently dismissed a similar lawsuit. Shares of Rite Aid closed up $1 at $7.75 on the NYSE. Rite Aid, however, remains the subject of a probe by the Securities and Exchange Commission for past accounting practices.