Are You Paying Too Much for Your Whole Foods?
Whole Foods in NYC is under investigation. (Photo: AP)
A year after Whole Foods 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.
Whole Foods denied the allegations to Yahoo Food.
“We disagree with the DCA’s overreaching allegations and we are vigorously defending ourselves,” Michael Sinatra, a Whole Foods spokesman, said in an email. “We cooperated fully with the DCA from the beginning until we disagreed with their grossly excessive monetary demands. Despite our requests to the DCA, they have not provided evidence to back up their demands nor have they requested any additional information from us, but instead have taken this to the media to coerce us. Our customers are our number one stakeholder and we highly value their trust in us.”
Whole Foods has been hit 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)
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.
