Phildelphia NOW joins campaign against CVS for offering expired goods for sale

Shelley R. Smith, Esq., City Solicitor
City of Philadelphia Law Department
City Solicitor’s Office
One Parkway, 1515 Arch Street, 17th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102-1595

Dear Ms. Smith,

I am writing on behalf of the Philadephia chapter of the National Organization for Women.

A few months ago our members learned that CVS--the nation’s largest retail drugstore--has been repeatedly caught offering expired goods for sale including medicine, milk, eggs and even infant formula. We were particularly shocked to discover that quite a few of the expired products on CVS shelves are made for infants and children.
CVS’ expired goods problem was documented here in Philadelphia and cities throughout the country. The Attorneys General in both New York and California called on CVS to stop selling expired products.

In early January of this year, reporter Joyce Evans from Fox 29 exposed the continued presence of expired products for sale at CVS stores in Philadelphia. In response to her inquiries, CVS claimed to have addressed this serious problem.
Unfortunately, it has recently come to my attention that despite the public outrage and regulatory scrutiny directed at CVS, Philadelphia residents are still finding expired products on local CVS shelves!

Examples of expired products Philadelphia consumers recently found include CVS brand Non-Drowsy Allergy Relief (expired December 2007, purchased March 4, 2009) and Infants Mylicon Gas Relief (expired March of 2007, purchased January 29, 2009) among others.

Philadelphia residents deserve protection from this potentially harmful practice. Not only is selling expired goods against CVS’ own policy, but it threatens the safety and health of consumers. As City Solicitor of Philadelphia we ask that you help protect Philadelphia consumers. Please make CVS clean up their act!

Sincerely,
Karen Bojar
President, Philadephia chapter of the National Organization for Women.