Results tagged “consumer safety”

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The Philadelphia City Council unanimously voted today to clamp down on the sale of expired goods, passing a bill that will "prohibit the sale of expired non-prescription drugs, infant formula, baby food, milk, milk products and eggs." The measure, backed unanimously by the Council's Public Health Committee, also offers a bonus to consumers who discover expired goods on store shelves: half off an unexpired container of each expired item they find. CVS has been caught selling expired products multiple times at its stores in Philadelphia.

"I thank City Council for taking this necessary step to protect consumers. No store should be allowed to sell out of date milk, infant formula and over the counter medicines," said Lance Haver, the City Consumer Affairs Director.

 "CVS markets itself as a solution for overworked and overstressed women. When the mayor signs this bill, women will have one less thing to stress about: we will know that if CVS and other retailers put expired products on their shelves, at least they will pay a price," said Dee  Johnson of the Philadelphia chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW).

The news comes today as consumer advocates are holding events outside CVS stores in 15 cities around the country over the sale of expired goods, among other issues.

CVS agreed last week to pay nearly $1 million to the State of California to settle allegations of misleading customers and unfair business practices stemming from the sale of expired products and failing to adequately protect and dispose of customers' confidential personal and medical information. CVS agreed to require bimonthly removal of expired products and improved employee training in its more than 800 California stores; however that agreement only applies to California. Advocates are calling on CVS to extend the reforms mandated by the settlement beyond California and adopt new corporate policies and reporting around expired goods in its stores.