NEWARK – Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal and the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs today announced that the Division has taken more than 200 actions this week in response to complaints of retailers increasing prices, including on essential items like food, hand sanitizer, and other products used to stay safe and healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over the past seven days, the Division has sent 217 cease-and-desist letters to merchants statewide. To date, the Division has issued approximately 92 subpoenas and 731 cease-and-desist letters warning retailers about the penalties for violating New Jersey’s price-gouging law and the Consumer Fraud Act’s protections from gross and unreasonable inflation of the price of any product during a state of emergency.
“Price gouging is against the law and intolerable at a time people are doing their best to stay safe during this pandemic,” said Attorney General Grewal. “We want to reassure New Jersey residents that we remain committed to take action against opportunists attempting to profit off the demand for essential items.”
“We will aggressively enforce New Jersey’s consumer protection laws during this state of emergency,” said Paul R. Rodríguez, Acting Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs. “We encourage consumers to remain vigilant and report price gouging and other attempts to take advantage of consumers using our online complaint form, where you can submit photos and screenshots of suspect activity.”
The Division has logged a total of 3,623 complaints related to the COVID-19 emergency against about 2,100 business locations. Approximately 90 percent of the complaints allege unfair price increases on personal protective equipment, sanitizers, disinfectants, food, bottled water and other items in demand by consumers concerned about keeping safe and having enough food and supplies.
Examples of alleged price hikes that consumers have reported to the Division include:
- a convenience store allegedly charging $6 for a single roll of paper towels;
- a janitorial supply store allegedly charging $20 for a can of Lysol;
- a convenience store allegedly raising the price of 2-ounce bottles of hand sanitizer to $4.99 from its $1 pre-emergency declaration price—an increase of almost 500%;
- a grocery store allegedly charging $12 for a gallon of milk;
- a deli allegedly charging $10 for a gallon of water;
- a convenience store allegedly charging $60 for a small package of toilet paper;
- a dollar store allegedly charging $9.99 for a gallon of bleach;
- a gas station allegedly selling single-use masks for $25 each; and
- a supply store allegedly charging $36 for a gallon of hand sanitizer.
The Division is also reviewing reports of businesses selling homemade hand sanitizers and items not meant for individual sale such as wipes and certain masks. Consumers are urged to beware of poorly labeled merchandise.
New Jersey’s price-gouging law, which took effect on March 9 upon Governor Murphy’s declaration of a state of emergency, prohibits excessive price increases during a declared state of emergency and for 30 days after its termination. A price increase is considered excessive if the new price is more than 10 percent higher than the price charged during the normal course of business prior to the state of emergency, and the increased price is not attributable to additional costs imposed by the seller’s supplier or additional costs of providing the product or service during the state of emergency.
Price-gouging and other consumer fraud violations are punishable by civil penalties of up to $10,000 for the first violation and $20,000 for the second and subsequent violations. Violators may also be required to pay consumer restitution, attorney’s fees, and investigative fees, and will be subject to injunctive relief. Each sale of merchandise is considered a separate violation.
Consumers who suspect consumer fraud, violations, or believe that businesses have unfairly increased their prices in response to COVID-19, are encouraged to file complaints online to report specific details investigators can follow up on. Photographs of items being sold, receipts and pricing can now be uploaded to our new price gouging complaint form.
These stores should have their store names listed
Walter Hertz I agree why aren’t the names of the places listed
Nancy Rector Nagel Not in the article I read
Maybe your people should take over Unemployment or investigate why nothing is being done. Somebody needs to help the state of NJ and the hard working residents. Since their governor does not have a freaking clue, action is needed here. Not excuses you claimed to be able to fix the state. Right now Chris Christie must be laughing his ass off.
John Jameson “your people?” RACIST TRUMP SUPPORTER
Dylan Hammonds TDS much little sheep? Did it even occur to you that he was referring to INVESTIGATORS? Nope, because TDS driven little libtards see “racism” everywhere………because it starts in their own mirrors.
Nice try though dummy………please play again.
Dylan Hammonds
They should go to Community Surgical shop on rt 37 in Toms River.., they are jacking up pricing on mask I was told!!!
Brad Joseph, interesting. They keep calling me for “medical device supply replenishment”. That device was returned to them in January of 2019.
Diane Ray whAt? I was mentioning they charge lot more for mask then they used to
Brad Joseph, I don’t trust them. I returned a CPAP device to them before the expire date, so I wouldn’t get billed. A few weeks later, I received replacement parts that should be replaced every month or so. Called them. They told me to put package on porch and they would send UPS to pick up. After a month, no one picked up. Called them again and they said they will mark me as I returned items and just throw them away. I continued to get bills from them and EOBs from my insurance. I called and reported them to insurance company. Now, they’re calling to see if I need replenishment? Very strange.
Brad Joseph
Sounds like Medicaid fraud
How about BJ states free shippinv and when you hit the button the price goes up $2-3 per item
Tracey Jordan how about you go dust something old man
Dylan Hammonds excuse me? Is there something wrong with you?
Tracey Jordan you want some?!
Dylan Hammonds smh.
Tracey Jordan COME GET SOME!
Dylan Hammonds of what? Your crazy shriveled up ass? Wjats wrong with you elephant killer?
Tracey Jordan nice, an old person joke.. you look older than me I’m basically a teenager compared to you
Dylan Hammonds doubt that very much.
Tracey Jordan How old are you
Dylan Hammonds listen dylan. You kill innocent animals and pick on innocent woman. Please take your meds and stop talking
Tracey Jordan that’s what I thought
Tracey Jordan little whimp
Dylan Hammonds what you think of me is none of my business
See also: New Jersey tolls and taxes… ????
Ray Peto not even funny. You are so right.
Karen Tortorelli send the photo of lysol can from country farms on Fischer blvd.
Him and Murphy are in each other’s pockets!
Are you sure Turban Guy? Are you sure this isn’t just “anti-semitism”, such as when people point out what’s been happening in Lakewood since the beginning of this mess?
Seriously though………if a retailer has his costs raised to get an item, and he raises his price by the same amount or %, is THAT “price gouging” or is that just maintaining his margin? Retailers a not here for “public service”, they are businesses. No arguement that a rise in price WITHOUT a rise in cost is shitty, but IF cost rises, how is that taken into account?
Paul i agree if the retIls gets increase he has to pass along BUT the distribution network should be watched too they need to remember its wrong to take advantage of people
Nj property taxes are price gouging.
Raising the tolls is price gouging.
Start there first !
Phil Murphy should be on the list on price gouging