The Cameron County District Attorney’s Office is accusing a La Feria grocery store of price gouging hand sanitizers.
According to a news release from the DA, investigators served El Centro Foods on 500 N. Main Street in La Feria with a Cease and Desist letter after finding they are selling items well over market price.
Among the products the store is accused of selling at higher prices is Purell Hand Sanitizer. Investigators say a medium bottle was priced at $8.99 and large bottles were being sold for $34.99. Investigators say the product normally retails for between $4 and $15, accounting for a more than 50% mark up.
The district attorneys office says store owners have 48 hours to stop overcharging or they will be prosecuted.
The CCDA is also working to determine what criteria must be met to constitute price gouging, what complaints are valid, and how to proceed with our prosecution efforts.
The DA’s office says if you see a price that you think is overly inflated, immediately report it to Office of the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Hotline directly at (800) 621-0508 or go to their website at: www.texasattorneygeneral.gov
