In the wake of recent public concerns, Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, D-15, and other Democratic lawmakers announced plans to sponsor legislation that would outlaw Arizona businesses from selling outdated cans of infant formula.
Armed with an expired formula can, Sinema said that a new law was needed in order to prevent Arizona businesses from dispensing outdated formula.
“We learned, along with many members of the Arizona public, about reports of outdated infant formula that had been distributed and sold to consumers throughout the state,” Sinema said. “To our dismay, we learned that Arizona has no statutes that prohibit the sale of outdated infant formula.”
Her July 5 announcement comes in the wake of a report released by the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) and Hungry for Respect that said it found 58 percent of Bashas’ stores were selling out-of-date formula in Arizona.
Sinema said that distribution of the outdated cans is widespread in Arizona, but specifically named Bashas’ as a culprit. Bashas’ Inc. also runs Food City, AJ’s, and Bashas’ grocery stores.
Fellow Rep. Ed Ableser, D-17, said that a Bashas’ supermarket, at 3115 S. McClintock Drive, in Tempe was found with 82 cans of outdated baby formula.
Bashas’ President and COO Mike Proulx refuted the claims and said the Democratic lawmakers have an ax to grind with his company.
“This is a smear campaign against Bashas’ to pressure Bashas’ management to sign a contract with the UFCW,” he said, referring to the UFCW’s recent attempts at organizing Bashas’ Inc. employees.
“Kyrsten Sinema is a politician… she has her own political agenda and clearly she is in support of the UFCW and maybe the UFCW supports her,” he said.
Proulx said that Bashas’ stores are subject to numerous inspections throughout the year in addition to their company policy, which requires that the expired products be pulled “long before the expiration date.”
The State Department of Health Services program named WIC (Women and Infant Children) also does unannounced inspections of Bashas’ products at their stores and Proulx said they have not encountered any complaints.