Posted Sunday, September 23, 2012 --- 2:08 p.m.

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Wisconsin consumers are getting less likely to be charged the wrong price for merchandise at supermarkets and other retail stores.

In the past five years, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports, the percentage of items that scanned incorrectly at the register has shrunk 42 percent -- from 4.8 percent to 2.8 percent. That's according to figures the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection released to the newspaper.

State officials attribute the improvement to enforcement against stores that overcharge and better education of store employees. An industry expert also credits savvy shoppers.

A Wisconsin store must charge customers the lowest price it has advertised in stores or in its ads. A store that leaves a sale price posted after the sale ends still must honor that price.

Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.