PHOENIX, June 27 /PRNewswire/ -- A study found widespread stocking of expired infant formula at Bashas'-owned stores in Arizona. The study was based on an investigation conducted by Hungry for Respect, a coalition of grocery store employees, their union and community groups. In May and June 2007, Hungry for Respect members shopped at 105 of the approximately 157 Bashas'-owned stores operating under the Bashas' Supermarkets, Food City and AJ's Fine Foods banners in Arizona to see if the stores were stocking and selling expired infant formula.
Hungry for Respect's investigation found that a staggering 58% of the Bashas' Supermarkets stores visited and more than half of the Food City stores visited in the Phoenix, Tucson and Yuma areas stocked expired infant formula, suggesting that stocking expired infant formula is a widespread problem at these stores. The investigation also found that 10% of the Bashas' upscale AJ's Fine Food stores visited sold expired formula.
Infant formula is required by the US Food and Drug Administration to have a "use by" date so that parents don't mistakenly feed their babies formula that has lost its nutritional value. Grocery stores are expected to not stock or sell expired formula and to remove expired formula promptly.
If infants do not receive the proper nutrition -- which in many families comes solely from infant formula -- they may develop potentially serious developmental problems. Formulas consumed after the "use by" date may not provide the nutrition levels required by the FDA.
Hungry for Respect conducted the investigation after hearing concerns from Bashas' Inc. employees that not enough employee hours were being allocated to ensure proper stocking and product rotation. "We have two [stockers working] each night and there should be four or five doing the work," reports Paul Romero, a Food City employee.
"For years, employees at Bashas' Inc. have struggled to have a voice on the job. Everyone simply saw this as a 'union problem.' These shocking results show why the lack of a meaningful voice for employees may adversely affect consumers as well. We strongly encourage families who have purchased baby formula from a Bashas'-owned store to check the expiration dates of that formula," said Hungry for Respect coalition member Alfredo Gutierrez.
Hungry for Respect is a coalition of grocery store employees, their union and community allies. More information can be found at http://www.hungryforrespect.org/
We do not know if Bashas' Inc. has stocked or sold expired infant formula since the completion of our store visits.
Hungry for Respect
CONTACT: Katy Giglio of UFCW Local 99, +1-602-251-0423, mobile,
+1-480-543-0373
Web site: http://www.hungryforrespect.org/
