Probe Reveals Hundreds of Expired Products at CVS, Rite Aid

[RamboLiberal]

Source: ABC News

A statewide sweep by New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo found that more than half of CVS stores and 43 percent of Rite Aid stores were selling expired drugs, milk, eggs and baby formula.

In some cases, over-the-counter medication was being sold two years after the expiration date, according to Eric Corngold, the head of the economic justice unit in Cuomo's office.

Cuomo says he intends to sue both chains for patterns of violating federal, state and local law that do not permit the sale of expired products and plans to seek injunctive relief.

Since March, prompted by complaints from consumers, dozens of undercover investigators visited close to 1,000 stores and detected an "egregious pattern at CVS and Rite Aid" of selling expired products, said Corngold at a news conference in New York this morning.



Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=5055982&page=1

[eppur_se_muova]

1. No surprise. The Rite Aid in PGH sold lots of contact lens supplies past their date.

I would look through the packages on their shelves just trying to find the one with the latest expiration date, and find plenty already expired.

[truthisfreedom]

2. There's a very high-end grocery store here in Minneapolis that is loaded with expired food.

I've been checking things before buying them lately, and it's amazing... almost ALL of the expensive olive oil is expired. Smaller packages of nuts, all expired... sometimes by months.

Obviously there has been a trend to keep things on the shelves and get them out the door.

[Muttocracy]

3. his web page has links to data tables on which stores they surveyed; missed Eckerd

Rite Aid bought Eckerd, in central NY if not nationwide, so stores have consolidated here.

http://www.oag.state.ny.us/press/2008/june/june12a_08.html

[Muttocracy]

4. some of these are only a few weeks out of date, and not much data behind exp. dates anyway. nt

[tpsbmam]

5. There are SOME drugs that can be dangerous when taken too far after they've

expired and others may lose potency, again after a fair span of time. A few weeks out of date for most OTC drugs doesn't mean they won't work or are dangerous, but it does mean they've been sitting on the shelves for at least a year, usually more.

I ALWAYS check the dates on everything before I buy it -- if it's too close to the expiration date, I don't buy it (depending on what it is, of course -- if it's something like aspirin, I know it's been sitting there for a long time).

[Greyskye]

18. A study was done on this very topic:

http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/update1103a.shtml

Since a law was passed in 1979, drug manufacturers are required to stamp an expiration date on their products. This is the date at which the manufacturer can still guarantee the full potency and safety of the drug.

Most of what is known about drug expiration dates comes from a study conducted by the Food and Drug Administration at the request of the military. With a large and expensive stockpile of drugs, the military faced tossing out and replacing its drugs every few years. What they found from the study is 90% of more than 100 drugs, both prescription and over-the-counter, were perfectly good to use even 15 years after the expiration date.

More, including some useful information at the link.

[Muttocracy]

24. that's the study I remember - thanks . nt

[Muttocracy]

23. yes, that's true, it just seems a little sensational in the news story.

Big difference between the ones that are 1 week past due vs. 18 months - and a lot of the items were actually dairy products (which could be bad, but aren't medications).

I bet if most people looked at the dates in their own medicine cabinets it would be similar!

[Jazzgirl]

9. CVS also bought out Eckerd.

At least they did in Texas and a few other states as well.

[Donnachaidh]

11. they did in Georgia too

I miss my Eckerds. Never had a big problem with the pharmacy, the stores were clean and set up well. Now we have a RiteAid that is such a toilet -- they took the GOOD displays out and brought cheap crap in, and set it up in the fugliest manner possible. It's decorated in early crapstore cheese - it's embarrassing.

They've gone through several pharmacy attendants since opening, and the other sales people ignore customers having obvious problems finding things.

Now our only option is Walgreens. :shrug: I stopped going to CVS years ago.

[high density]

6. Every time I go to the grocery store...

I have to have an eagle eye on the dates. I've been burned too many times otherwise. Some products only seem to get shipped in once per month, like the OJ and hotdogs I buy. Last December I came across a pack of hot dogs that was about two months past its expiration date, and somebody placed it right in front, hoping we'd buy it. It seems like somebody could get sick off of meat that old.

[Endangered Specie]

7. hmm, I better go check make sure those condoms aren't expired!!!

[A Brand New World]

8. I bought some allergy medicine at CVS a month ago or so that

was 9 months past the expiration date. I didn't notice it til I'd used some of it. I finished it off & it still seemed effective, thank goodness.

[Sherman A1]

10. This comes down to one thing

not enough hands and feet in the stores. Skeleton crews of underpaid workers who are pushed and pushed to get the shelves stocked and conditioned. It's more of the Wal Mart model of retailing, with the short term bottom line being the holy grail, screwing the long term good of the customer and a dedicated career workforce (who can make a living wage) to serve them. :argh:

[Muttocracy]

17. I notice lack of stock rotation at Wegmans (relatively high end grocery here) and other stores

and I agree, there are very few long-term managers who actually give a darn about their stores and customers, and it leads to things like this.

[Sherman A1]

20. If its what I have noticed...

Store Managers are in the store office pushing papers around and not on the sales floor. Department managers are simply glorified stock clerks these days trying to do both stock work and their management tasks. Wait a few more years when the boomers retire and the effects of the "missing generation" (the people in their 40's who simply left retail in large numbers in the 1980's when the Wal Mart model was adopted) that should have followed the boomers are really felt.

[kmac3]

22. Reason for expired products . . .

Amen to your entire statement . . . then add the reduced
primarily all part time working personnel is just another
means for "Mr. Big Business" to get richer!

[Sherman A1]

25. Thanks

and welcome to DU!:hi:

[ekelly]

12. I worked at Albertson's for about a year, conditioning shelves

Once a month I would go through every single item in the drug/pharmacy area, the baby food aisle, person hygeine area and toss anything that was due to expire by the end of that month. It was store policy.

But then, we had the manpower to delegate 1 person for an entire day to do that job, and the store could afford to toss all that product. I think things have changed.

Also, shelves are stocked with the newest items in the back, oldest items toward the front.

[reclinerhead]

21. I liked Albertsons

That was my favorite grocery store around here, until purchased by Save-Mart. Albertson's always had great variety, and I don't remember ever seeing an expired item on the shelves.

Getting back to the topic -- I agree that some medications are probably ok months or years after the expiration date. However, I saw several instances of Milk in the list, 9 days after expiration. Anybody wanna take a swig of that? ;)

[whistle]

13. Not at the CVS I go to, their milk is fresh every day

[njlib]

14. I've noticed this at the supermarket lately

There are 4 major chains that I frequent, two are convenient for shopping on my lunch hour and the other two are on my way home. I've found numerous expired items at all four stores in the last few months, which really is a first since I always check the dates on everything I buy. A few weeks ago, cereal bars were on sale and every single box on the shelf had expired. I guess if sales are slumping due to people cutting their food budgets, the stores don't want to throw anything away.

[Politicalboi]

15. I work at

The Rite Aid warehouse here in Ca. We don't really get a chance to see expiration dates but you would think someone would have that job. I bought some tooth repair stuff last week from CVS and I noticed the date was 05-07 so luckily I kept my receipt and I can return it.

[jberryhill]

16. Well that explains it....

These weren't working:


http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/cvs/gateway/detail?prodid=277209



...and neither were these:

http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/cvs/gateway/detail?prodid=367101



Now, where can I get the FRESH penis enlargement pills and detox foot pads?

Who cares if stuff at CVS is expired when they sell crap like this anyway.

[Theres-a]

19. I bought expired ice cream at CVS

I brought it right back and exchanged it for a fresh one.x(