On September 3, 2026, I researched prescription pricing via GoodRx and chose Safeway because it offered the best competitive rates. Before arriving, I called the pharmacy and spoke to a representative who confirmed I could present the GoodRx card via my phone to the cashier at checkout.
However, my experience at the store and the subsequent escalation to corporate leadership involved outright consumer deception:
Store-Level Refusal (Sept 3, 2026): When I presented my GoodRx card at the counter, the cashier, Judith, dismissed me in an annoyed tone, stating I was "already getting a discount." She refused to look at my phone when I placed it on the counter. Pressed for time with my dogs waiting in the car, I paid the demanded total of $50.33, expecting it to match the ~$15 GoodRx estimate. Upon reviewing the receipt at home, the "Price" and "You Pay" columns were identical down to the penny, proving no discount was applied.
Escalation to District Management (Sept 4, 2026): After filing an initial complaint with Safeway customer service, District Pharmacy Leader Chantel contacted me. While initially appearing helpful, she asked for my GoodRx BIN and PCN numbers. When I attempted to read the card info, she cut me off to ask for the member number, entirely skipping the critical Group Information. She stated she would have the pharmacy manager run the GoodRx discount.
Falsification of Data & Professional Misconduct: Less than 15 minutes later, Chantel called back and stated they had run three of my prescriptions so far and the total was already over $60. She asked if I wanted to switch to GoodRx and pay the difference. When I declined--noting I had already overpaid by triple the expected amount and would not return to Safeway--Chantel responded rudely and unprofessionally, stating "that is your choice," without offering an apology or a thank you for my business.
Independent Verification of Fraud: Immediately after hanging up with Chantel, I contacted GoodRx directly to report the refusal. The GoodRx advocate explicitly confirmed two critical pieces of information that prove Chantel falsified her report:
A pharmacy cannot run a GoodRx discount without the Group Information, which Chantel deliberately cut me off from providing.
GoodRx system logs definitively show that Safeway never accessed my information or attempted to run a quote or purchase for any medications on that day.
Furthermore, GoodRx verified what Safeway's contractually mandated prices should have been: Docusate Sodium, Ondansetron, and Cephalexin should have been provided at $0.00; Celecoxib should have been $5.00; and Oxycodone-Acetaminophen should have been $9.65. The true total should have been $14.65, directly contradicting Chantel's fabricated claim that just three medications exceeded $60.
Chantel's behavior is a direct violation of Safeway's core values, constitutes a breach of Safeway's corporate contract with GoodRx, and represents an intentional act of consumer deception by a high-level regional supervisor.
I have filed an Attorney General complaint and I have four more drafted complaints for additional consumer protection/relations or compliance departments for the state of California regarding the severe case of deceptive business practices, contract non-compliance, and professional misconduct.
Chantel chose to mess with someone who responds to BBB, DOI, AG and consumer complaints. read more
