New Jersey – Rite Aid has agreed to pay $475,000 to settle civil charges brought by state officials that the drug store chain sold expired over-the-counter drugs, infant formula, baby food and other products.
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The company, which also operates Eckerd stores, faces an additional $175,000 penalty if it fails to comply with the settlement terms during the next 12 months, the state Division of Consumer Affairs said today. The state sued Rite Aid in October 2006, alleging it found expired merchandise being sold at 42 of the 104 Rite Aids investigators visited in New Jersey.
Officials also charged the chain sold products for more than the shelf price. As part of the settlement, in which Rite Aid does not admit wrongdoing, the company agreed to not sell expired products and to check expiration dates before stocking merchandise on the shelves.
Rite Aid also has implemented policies to periodically inspect and remove products that have expired, the state said.
“Expired products have no place on the shelves of New Jersey stores, and as this settlement makes clear, the law requires Rite Aid to make sure product dates are checked and requires that out-of-date products are not offered for sale,” Attorney General Anne Milgram said in a statement.
Earlier this month, New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said an investigation found Rite Aid and CVS were selling expired food, medicine and baby formula at locations across the state.
The expired items were found at 142 CVS and 112 Rite Aid Pharmacies in New York. Cuomo says his office is preparing civil lawsuits against the chains.
Watch out! The check might be stale-dated!
What about the frum stores that sell expired products “on sale”?
In a frum store in NY, I purchased something that had matching tape to the rest of the box concealing its expiration date. When I got home and tasted it, i was prompted to find the date. When I did, under the tape, I was appalled to see that it had expired a YEAR AGO!
I wanted to report them but that might be assur, right?
And its not assur for them to break the law and sell you expired products?
interesting, cuz you can see in all local yiddish pharmacies that they’re very strict on expired products, I happen to shop in more than one area pharmacy, and I never had an expired product, because they’re small they can’t afford to risk with their license.
you should be ashamed of yourself talking about your own people
As consumers we need to do our own due diligence and check dates on everything we purchase, especially perishables.
Expired Meds (DRY) are OK to use for a few years after the date.
You as the consumer should be more careful in checking the expiration dates.
Many stores sell them for half price when they are almost expired, which if you plan on using it right away,is not a bad deal.