News
Two stores cited for pricing violations
By Department of Consumer Protection
Aug 14, 2008 - 1:05:42 PM

Consumer Protection Commissioner Jerry Farrell, Jr. announced today that his agency is charging two Connecticut stores with item pricing violations. The stores, Stop and Shop Supermarket #606 at 195 West Street in Cromwell and A&P Super Food Mart #339 at 207 Webster Square in Berlin, were inspected by Consumer Protection agents in recent months as part of the agency’s routine economic compliance checks. Both stores are alleged to have been in violation of item pricing violations at initial inspections in March and April and, at subsequent inspections in June.

“These two major retail stores were notified that they were in violation of item pricing regulations after our first visits yet our inspectors found additional items during their re-inspections in April” Farrell said. “Connecticut’s pricing laws are in place to ensure a fundamental marketplace principle -- that consumers can make informed purchasing decisions based on cost, quality and convenience. Compliance with this law is critically important in today’s trying economic times when every purchase must be carefully considered.”

Item pricing refers to Connecticut’s requirement that stores affix a price to each item of a “consumer commodity” – any item that is designed to be “used up” such as a carton of milk, a bar of soap or a roll of plastic wrap. During the two inspections at each store, Consumer Protection agents found numerous commodity items that were not appropriately labeled.

The Department may impose civil penalties for each violation of the item pricing law. Both stores have been notified of a hearing that is scheduled for August 27th at the Department of Consumer Protection in Hartford if the matter is not resolved beforehand.

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