Is Home Depot charging a parking fee to combat inflation? Company addresses rumors

Is Home Depot actually charging a $5 parking fee to combat inflation?

The company has addressed recent rumors following a viral article claiming so -- and the answer is no.

According to Home Depot, the report was an "April Fool's joke" from Pro Tool Reviews, which it said was posted "without our knowledge."

"We do not charge parking lot fees and don’t plan to," a spokesperson told NBC Chicago in a statement.

The original report, which now has an "April Fools" stamp over its top image, had said the popular home improvement store "has announced that it will begin charging customers for parking at its stores nationwide starting next month."

It listed details, including how pricing would vary by location, with up to $5 for "a full day of parking in Los Angeles." It also claimed shoppers who spend over $250 in a single visit would receive in-store credit for parking, or those enrolled in a special loyalty program would receive free parking if they spend more than $1,000 in a calendar year.

The article linked to a press release that took users to a page that read "April Fools! Gotcha!"

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It's not clear when the April Fools' tags were added to the piece, however. Earlier versions did not show the label on the article's thumbnail.

Several shoppers expressed concern on social media following the report.

One user on X called for a boycott of the company due to the change, which Home Depot later responded to.

"This is an April Fools' post from a tool review website. We do not charge for parking," the company wrote on X.