NJ supermarket chain fined for selling bad meat in Ocean County

🍗 Ocean County health officials have fined a supermarket chain's five locations

🍗 An investigation uncovered mislabeled and mishandled meat products

🍗 Spoiled meat was also found waiting to be placed on display

TOMS RIVER — If you’re an Ocean County resident and you recently bought meat at Stop & Shop, listen up.

The Ocean County Health Department has fined the supermarket after the chain’s five county locations were found to be selling mislabeled products and mishandling beef and poultry items.

The investigation began after complaints were received regarding the sale of spoiled meat and poultry products at a Toms River Stop & Shop, according to the Ocean County Department of Consumer Affairs, in cooperation with the Ocean County Health Department.

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During the inspection, investigators discovered mislabeled product dates and spoiled products that were waiting to be placed on display.

Further investigation extended to all five Ocean County Stop & Shop locations, including another in Toms River, as well as one each in Brick, Point Pleasant, and Manchester, where investigators found systemic mislabeling practices.

Products were marked with dates indicating when they were put out for display rather than when they were actually packaged, creating the appearance of freshness well beyond the actual delivery dates.

In some cases, beef and poultry products were stamped with extended expiration dates.

The investigation also found that Stop & Shop had moved away from in-store butchers and was relying heavily on pre-packaged products prepared by off-site wholesalers.

According to the Ocean County Department of Consumer Affairs, there was one incident where a wholesale box that was delivered in February was not opened until March. Yet, it was labeled as if it had been freshly packaged that day.

While a consent agreement requiring immediate corrective action to protect consumers has been reached, Stop & Shop corporate counsel and senior management initially characterized the matter as a “mislabeling issue.”

As part of the agreement, Stop & Shop will pay $75,000 in fines and penalties and will implement stricter safeguards to ensure accurate product labeling and compliance across all of its 46 New Jersey locations.

“I commend the Ocean County Department of Consumer Affairs for their steadfast commitment and professionalism in protecting the interests of our residents. This was a matter of considerable importance and we deeply appreciate their prompt and decisive actions in ensuring it was thoroughly addressed,” Ocean County Commissioner Robert S. Arace, liaison to the Department, said.

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