Tallahassee, Fla. — The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ (FDACS) Division of Consumer Services inspectors are performing two pre-holiday sweeps to ensure that holiday food items are accurately labeled and that the advertised price for holiday specials matches the scanned price that rings up at the register.
“While finishing any last-minute holiday shopping, it’s crucial that consumers pay close attention to what they’re being charged at the checkout counter — especially for items marked as part of a holiday special,” shared Commissioner Nikki Fried. “Whether it’s a system error or mistake by an employee, items can ring up incorrectly. Make sure you’re paying the correct, fair price and if you think there’s been an error, reach out to FDACS and file consumer complaint.”
The first sweep conducted by the FDACS Division of Consumer Services ran from November 16 through November 20. Inspectors checked the net weight of over 3,000 holiday food items, such as turkeys, hams, cookies, and cakes. A net weight inspection ensures that consumers are only charged for the actual commodity they are purchasing and not the item’s packaging. Inspectors placed stop sale orders on 90 packages during this sweep.
The second price verification sweep will begin after Thanksgiving and will focus on items advertised in holiday sale promotions. FDACS inspectors will review holiday sale ads online and from newspapers and randomly select items for testing at a variety of locations across the state. Incorrectly-priced items will be immediately removed from sale until the errors are resolved. Any stores advertising a holiday sale could be part of the price verification sweep, including but not limited to department, grocery, hardware, and toy stores.
For consumers: FDACS is the state’s clearinghouse for consumer complaints, information, and protection. When in doubt, consumers should contact FDACS – all consumer complaints will be investigated. To file a consumer complaint, visit FloridaConsumerHelp.com or call the Consumer Assistance Center at 1-800-HELP-FLA or 1-800-FL-AYUDA (for Spanish speakers).
