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Whole Foods in NYC is under investigation. (Photo: AP)
It looks like Whole Foods still hasn’t learned its lesson.
A year after it was forced to pay $800,000 for overcharging California residents, the grocery store chain is now the target of an NYC investigation of the same practice.
During a sting operation in the fall of 2014, NYC investigators weighed 80 different types of food items at eight different NYC locations. They found they all had inaccurate labels and that customers were often being overcharged, the Daily News reported.
“Our inspectors told me it was the worst case of overcharges that they’ve ever seen,” NYC’s Department of Consumer Affairs Commissioner Julie Menin told the paper.
Just how widespread is the problem? Whole Foods has been saddled with more than 800 violations in 107 inspections since 2010, the paper found after analyzing data of the incidents.
An investigation shows Whole Foods is regularly overcharging customers. (Photo: AP)
Whole Foods spokesman Michael Sinatra said the chain “never intentionally used deceptive practices to incorrectly charge customers.” He said the store is “vigorously defending” itself, and that they always refunds customers who have been overcharged.
This is not the first time Whole Foods has faced this issue. In June of 2014, the Texas-based chain had to pay a whopping $800,000 in penalties after it was found to be overcharging customers throughout California.
In that probe, it was found that products’ weights were mislabeled.
“By adding the weight of containers and packaging, especially on higher-priced, per-pound items like seafood and meats and even prepared food, the extra charges can add up fast, and yet be hidden from consumers,” Santa Monica Deputy City Atty. Adam Radinsky said in a statement.
Even after paying hefty fines, at least one consumer noticed that he was accidentally charged 71 cents for an empty food container, indicating the chain had not changed its practices.
https://www.yahoo.com/food/are-you-paying-too-much-for-your-whole-foods-122332176531.html
It looks like Whole Foods still hasn’t learned its lesson.
A year after it was forced to pay $800,000 for overcharging California residents, the grocery store chain is now the target of an NYC investigation of the same practice.
During a sting operation in the fall of 2014, NYC investigators weighed 80 different types of food items at eight different NYC locations. They found they all had inaccurate labels and that customers were often being overcharged, the Daily News reported.
“Our inspectors told me it was the worst case of overcharges that they’ve ever seen,” NYC’s Department of Consumer Affairs Commissioner Julie Menin told the paper.
Just how widespread is the problem? Whole Foods has been saddled with more than 800 violations in 107 inspections since 2010, the paper found after analyzing data of the incidents.
An investigation shows Whole Foods is regularly overcharging customers. (Photo: AP)
Whole Foods spokesman Michael Sinatra said the chain “never intentionally used deceptive practices to incorrectly charge customers.” He said the store is “vigorously defending” itself, and that they always refunds customers who have been overcharged.
This is not the first time Whole Foods has faced this issue. In June of 2014, the Texas-based chain had to pay a whopping $800,000 in penalties after it was found to be overcharging customers throughout California.
In that probe, it was found that products’ weights were mislabeled.
“By adding the weight of containers and packaging, especially on higher-priced, per-pound items like seafood and meats and even prepared food, the extra charges can add up fast, and yet be hidden from consumers,” Santa Monica Deputy City Atty. Adam Radinsky said in a statement.
Even after paying hefty fines, at least one consumer noticed that he was accidentally charged 71 cents for an empty food container, indicating the chain had not changed its practices.
https://www.yahoo.com/food/are-you-paying-too-much-for-your-whole-foods-122332176531.html
