New York City’s Department of Consumer Affairs is investigating the Whole Foods grocery chain for “systemic overcharging for pre-packaged foods”
New York City is one of the most expensive places to maintain a healthy eating lifestyle, since organic and healthy food alternatives are a rarity outside from stores such as Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s grocery stores. The Department of Consumer Affairs of NYC is now investigating the matter. According to the DCA, Whole Foods grocery chains in NYC have routinely overstated the weights of its pre-packaged products, including meats, dairy and baked goods, resulting in customers being overcharged.
During the investigation the DCA alleged an overcharge for an extra $14.84 for just one package of coconut shrimp. They inspected eight packages of chicken tenders, which were priced at $9.99 per pound, with Whole foods making a profit of $33.04 for the eight packages.
It is unacceptable that New Yorkers shopping for a summer BBQ or who grab something to eat from the self-service aisles at New York City’s Whole Foods stores have a good chance of being overcharged. Our inspectors tell me this is the worst case of mislabeling they have seen in their careers, which DCA and New Yorkers will not tolerate.”
The agency said it tested 80 different kinds of prepackaged products at New York Whole Foods outlets and found all had mislabeled weights. Whole Foods doesn’t deny the fact their prices are high, but they claim it is to assure the best quality products are provided to consumers. Whole Foods said in a statement e-mailed to The Washington Post,
We assure our shoppers that we’ve NEVER intentionally used deceptive practices to incorrectly charge customers.”
The DCA’s investigation included 120 grocery stores across the city so far and 77 percent of them were cited for violations.
-Infinite Wiz(@InfiniteWiz)