Consumer Law

Unsafe Formula, Dangerous Bottles and Other Real Baby Problems

By Joe Consumer

I have an idea for the next E Trade baby commercial.  How about, instead of the little tot checking his investment portfolios and researching stocks, he does something his fellow babies might actually benefit from - like calling on infant formula manufacturers and sellers to care more about safety? 

Wal-Mart has just agreed to pay the state of New Jersey ?$775,000 in fines and revise its business practices following a ruling that the company sold expired infant formula and over-the-counter drugs to customers."

The lawsuit was brought in 2008 by New Jerseys? Attorney General for "unconscionable business practices." Attorney General Paula Dow said, "This settlement puts the onus on Wal-Mart to check expiration dates when stocking its shelves, to periodically recheck stocked items, and then remove from sale any infant formula or non-prescription drugs that are past expiration."  But given that Wal-Mart still admits no liability, I guess we?ll see.

By the way, the state had also sued Target and Drug Fair.  Target settled in 2009; Drug Fair went out of business.

Meanwhile, ?An Illinois mother says she is seeking class action status for a lawsuit over the recall of millions of containers of Similac powdered infant formula.?  The suit, filed against Abbott Laboratories Inc., comes after a September 22, 2010 recall ?following two reports from consumers of beetle larvae in the formula. ?The lawsuit claims Abbot knew about the insects on Sept. 16 but did not issue a recall of the products, including Isomil and Go & Grow, for a week.? 

More about the recall here.

And if that?s not enough, Maine is considering stepping in where the feds have refused, that is, banning bisphenol-A, a dangerous chemical ?used to harden plastic in a variety of products, including food storage containers, baby bottles and toddlers' sippy cups.? 

In other words, babies have real issues.  So E Trade baby, how about something a little more age appropriate next time?

Full post as published by ThePopTort on October 20, 2010 (boomark / email).