New York, NY – Retailers are overcharging New Yorkers for milk, City Councilman Eric Gioia charged.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
The Queens Democrat, a public-advocate candidate, said the state Department of Agriculture is failing to monitor the price of milk in the five boroughs, allowing prices to reach up to $6 a gallon in Manhattan.
A survey of milk prices in each borough found prices by the gallon ranging from $2.50 to $4.99 in The Bronx, $2.69 to $5.99 in Brooklyn, $2.89 to $4.50 in Queens, $2.89 to $3.99 on Staten Island, and $2.25 to $6 in Manhattan.
The prices reflect mainstream brands of regular milk sold in delis, supermarkets and bodegas, Gioia said.
The survey did not identify individual stores, and Gioia said he doesn’t blame the retailers for the overpricing as much as the state agency.
The Agriculture Department is charged with regulating milk prices by setting limits on what merchants can charge. But he said department officials no longer list what the maximum prices are, leaving consumers exposed to gouging.
He called on the agency to resume publishing the threshold price – as well as post local average retail prices on the Web.
Officials with the department did not return calls yesterday.
Consumers can report suspected milk price-gouging by calling (518) 457-1772.
Retailers who want help on milk pricing can call (518) 457-5731.
I think its cheaper to buy a cow.
While price gouging is a bad thing, enforcing a maximum price that can be charged might cause milk to become unavailable in some stores, or perhaps they might only stock special varieties of milk(organic, lactose reduced, etc.) that might not fall under the price controls. I have noticed that some stores have stopped selling regular eggs, and only sell free range or organic eggs. The answer to price gouging is competition, not price controls. I guess many stores might not make much on milk, or might even lose money selling milk after the losses on spoilage are factored in. I wonder which stores sell milk for under $3 a gallon? Are they warehouse clubs?
ive been paying over $6.00 for chulev yisruel milch for almost a year now. will i get a refund?
The regulated state price on milk is only for a gallon. They don’t regulate a half-gallon. Now you know why cholov yisroel is NEVER sold in gallons.
Today’s modern health standards (regulated by health organizations, such as the USDA) are intended to make sure that milk sold in stores labeled as “cows’ milk” is 100% cows’ milk. Therefore, most of the prominent gadolei yisorel follow the posek of Rav Moshe Feinstein, T’ZL, who, permit sthe use of regular cows’ milk in the United States and other countries with equivalent pervasive government regulation. Other rabbonim provide a similiar heter when Cholov Yisroel is either not available or priced significantly higher. This is sometimes referred to as cholov stam, meaning “plain milk”. On the other hand, there are still some ultra-machmir rabbonim who forbid the use of milk that is not cholov yisroel under any circumstances (except if you lived in a remote area, with no real practical way to obtain cholov yisroel milk, and if you needed to consume it for health purposes).
Finally someone is speaking out about these retailers reaping us off. But this happens not only with milk.
I am not eating grass all day for $2.50 a gallon….Please support my BOSS so he can feed me with Corn and i will produce all the milk you need…MOO…MOO…MOO
sorry that was for a half gallon 2.89 thats 5.79 a gallon so hey guess what cy is cheaper in manhatan tehn the others. so i guess that is muchayav evry one in mahatan do drink cy.
# 8 YOU CRACK ME UP! HAHAHAHA that was cute. On another note, shop at the Kollel store on 39th St. I dont think you can get milk cheaper anyplace else, if yes, please let the oylem know about it.
You leytzanim missed the whole point: the reason milk is so expensive in NY is becasue everyone is on Food Stamps and Govt. subsidies DRIVE UP THE PRICE OF THAT ITEM, including the rents, which are subsidized by Section 8. Get off govt. subsidies and live like proper menschen and PRICES WILL COME DOWN!