Man Arrested After Buying $30 TV Following Walmart Mexico Pricing Error

A customer was arrested by at least a dozen police officers after purchasing a 70-inch television for 547 pesos ($30) at a Walmart store in Ciudad del Carmen, Mexico.

The TV normally retailed for over 14,000 pesos.

The Purchase and Confrontation

The incident began around 7 PM when multiple customers arrived to collect 70-inch Philips TVs offered on the store's platform at 547 pesos.

One customer completed his purchase and showed his receipt, but security personnel intercepted him claiming the price was incorrect.

When the customer refused to return the television, a physical scuffle broke out.

Police Response

Walmart employees called police, and officers transported both the customer and the TV in a patrol vehicle.

Videos circulating on social media showed the extensive police presence during the detention.

The store manager took over two hours to arrive at the scene, which witnesses said increased customer frustration.

Widespread Pricing Issues

The TV pricing error affected multiple customers, with dozens claiming the store refused to honor the advertised price.

Customers also reported that blenders priced at 35 pesos were withdrawn after payment, with staff citing "lack of inventory."

A video showed a Walmart manager directly promoting the 70-inch TVs at 547 pesos to customers, suggesting the offer was presented in-store.

The promotion was reportedly applied nationwide but Walmart retracted it in states including Campeche and Oaxaca.

Legal Questions

Mexico's Federal Consumer Protection Agency stated that providers must honor announced prices unless they are "evidently unreal or disproportionate."

Local authorities have not issued official information about the legal grounds for the detention or the case resolution.

This was not the first such incident — in 2019, a similar pricing failure offered 55-inch televisions at 1,581 pesos, generating chaos at multiple locations.

Walmart argued the incident resulted from a technical failure and recommended affected customers file complaints through the consumer protection agency's portal.