Consumer Advocates Say El Super Markets Pose Hazards to Public Health

On Tuesday, consumer advocates and East Los Angeles community leaders called for a probe into what they are calling unsafe business practices that pose hazards to public health at El Super Markets.

The group—including members of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, the East L.A. Community Corp., Pueblo y Salud, Strategic Concepts in Organizing and Policy Education and Consumer Federation of California—claim a survey they conducted in the chain's Southern California stores showed dozens of dairy, meat, eggs and milk products for sale that were expired or past their due date, according to Mike Shimpock, a spokesman for UFCW 770, which represents retail workers in Los Angeles County.

A letter with the results of the survey was sent Tuesday to El Super's parent company, Bodega Latina Corp., and to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, according to Shimpock.

Maria Cabildo, president of the East L.A. Community Corp., said she was concerned for the health of East L.A. consumers.

"Selling food that is past its sell or use date is potentially unsafe and unethical," Cabildo said. "We have seen evidence that this may be a systemic problem with this grocery operator."

Cabildo also called on El Super to comply with basic health standards.

El Super did not immediately return requests for comment.

The supermarket chain has stores in California, Arizona and Nevada, including 14 locations in Los Angeles County. Paramount-based Bodega Latina Corp., part of Mexico's Grupo Chedraui, reported $1.2 billion in sales last year, according to Supermarket News.

—City News Service