Manufacturer: No problems with double-labeled infant formula
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SEATTLE - A popular brand of soy infant formula that was pulled from the shelves of Fred Meyer and QFC stores due to apparent mislabeling has no health issues and is actually the correct product, says the formula manufacturer.
Hundreds of cans of Earth's Best soy organic formula were pulled from the shelves Wednesday when a customer in Kirkland found that the label on a container peeled off to reveal the label of a cheaper brand underneath, said Melinda Merrill, spokesperson for Fred Meyer and QFC stores.
Merrill said more containers of the product were checked, and the same double-labeling was discovered on many of them.
But the formula manufacturer said Thursday that the labels concealed underneath the Earth's Best label are actually remnants of a label that was previously affixed to the cans in error.
"A small number of Earth’s Best canisters appear to have a label remnant under the proper Earth’s Best label, and the canisters do contain the proper infant formula," the company said in a prepared statement.
"This was caused by an error that was identified through our quality control procedures in which the wrong label was originally applied. The product
integrity was never compromised and is completely intact."
The manufacturer said there are no health issues with the product, and that the company is taking steps to ensure that the mislabeling won't happen again.
Nonetheless, Merrill said Fred Meyer and QFC will not return the double-labeled product to store shelves. Instead, the stores will wait for a new shipment of the formula.
Anyone who has any of the questionable product is encouraged to return it to the store for a refund or for another product, she said.
Hundreds of cans of Earth's Best soy organic formula were pulled from the shelves Wednesday when a customer in Kirkland found that the label on a container peeled off to reveal the label of a cheaper brand underneath, said Melinda Merrill, spokesperson for Fred Meyer and QFC stores.
Merrill said more containers of the product were checked, and the same double-labeling was discovered on many of them.
But the formula manufacturer said Thursday that the labels concealed underneath the Earth's Best label are actually remnants of a label that was previously affixed to the cans in error.
"A small number of Earth’s Best canisters appear to have a label remnant under the proper Earth’s Best label, and the canisters do contain the proper infant formula," the company said in a prepared statement.
"This was caused by an error that was identified through our quality control procedures in which the wrong label was originally applied. The product
integrity was never compromised and is completely intact."
The manufacturer said there are no health issues with the product, and that the company is taking steps to ensure that the mislabeling won't happen again.
Nonetheless, Merrill said Fred Meyer and QFC will not return the double-labeled product to store shelves. Instead, the stores will wait for a new shipment of the formula.
Anyone who has any of the questionable product is encouraged to return it to the store for a refund or for another product, she said.
A "cheaper brand underneath"...proving, once again, how easily you can be taken at the checkout counter, all because of packaging. Is it really an "organic" product after all?Â
...we all know there are likely only a few manufacturers of baby formula, but w/ all the furor over the Chinese made stuff that sickened and killed babies a year or so ago, can you blame this mom for being upset?
"a customer in Kirkland found that the label on a container peeled off to reveal the label of a cheaper brand underneath..." Â I want to compliment this person. Â You should always maintain suspicion as far as your baby's health is concerned...
Good thing the correct product was in the cans. My little girl had severe allergies to most formula and could only use one kind. They should be more careful!
They said the correct product was in the can, they didn't say the other label was for a different product did they.
Its not just  a different label its the same product. Most all manufacturers sell the exact same product to multiple outlets and just put the other companies label on the product. The same thing is done with gasoline. Paying more for a product doesn't mean you're getting a better product. Its the exact same product its just someone has a higher profit on it. Its done with everything. Dogfood, TV's, tires, vegetable oil, virtually every product is the same as their competitors, its just the difference in the label and the price.
A labelling error.... how convenient.. Why didn't they take the time to completely remove the labels, instead of just ripping off the old label and applying the new one..
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@Mr. H the "other" lable might be printed on the can. There is no way to remove the lable. It may not be the brand's falt, it might be the processing plant that fills the cans. They might have put the wrong palet of can in the machine and not noticed till they can out the other end. Now you eather throw it all away or put the right lable on the can... both choises are bad, now try and pick the one that is less bad.... human error happend twice with these cans...
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Sounds like the good stuff and the cheap stuff all come from the same place.
 @mstipton That is often the case. Not always, of course, but it does happen. Having two different price points, even for the same thing, actually increases business.
Some people have to discover a bargain before they'll buy; others have to pay top dollar to feel like they got the best product.Â
 @mstipton Which goes to show there's not such thing as small business when it comes to manufacturing. It's all giant conglomerates now.