Despite ramped-up efforts to combat counterfeits on its platform, Amazon now grapples with reports of unscrupulous sellers offering expired food products.
Months ago, Amazon acknowledged the prevalence of counterfeits and unveiled a streamlined program to target offending sellers more swiftly and cost-effectively. Yet, as highlighted in a CNBC article from October 20, 2019, another critical issue persists: third-party sellers peddling expired groceries, including chocolate bars, infant formula, tea bags, and dried meat—some well past their use-by dates.
The Consumer Federation of America, a leading U.S. consumer advocacy group, has criticized Amazon's enforcement. Executive Director Thomas Gremillion notes that while policy requires products to have at least 90 days until expiration at sale, violators often face no repercussions despite interceptions.
Amazon maintains these are isolated incidents, deeming existing manual and automated checks sufficient. No additional measures are planned. Shoppers are urged to reach out to customer service with concerns.
The issues extend further. A summer 2019 Wall Street Journal investigation uncovered over 4,000 illegal listings, including unapproved FDA drugs, lead-tainted items, and even a non-compliant motorcycle helmet linked to a fatal accident.
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