WATCH: A Calgary mom has been faced with a horrible reminder to triple check expiration dates. Jill Croteau reports.
CALGARY – A Calgary mother is demanding an apology after feeding her son expired formula she says was recently purchased from a Saddletowne Shoppers Drug Mart.
Aryana Jalali says she bought the formula on July 2. After feeding her six-month-old son the formula, he came down with a fever, was refusing to eat and started suffering from vomiting and diarrhea.
Jalali took her son to her family doctor, who suggested she check the expiry date on the formula.
“Out of curiosity I checked the formula and I was shocked to see it had already been expired a week ago,” said Jalali. “I went to Shoppers with my receipt and the expired formula, and I checked the shelf and there was a whole row of expired baby formulas still sitting in there.”
Jalali says she told the staff about the expired formula, who she says removed them from the shelves.
When Jalali went back the next day to talk to a manager, she was instructed by the manager to take pictures of the expired formula and send them to Shoppers insurance company to pay for her son’s medical expenses.
But her original request was denied by the insurance company, saying they were “not able to see the expiry date or the date this photo was taken.”
“I requested an apology letter from (the manager) which I never received, and their insurance called me saying they can’t see the expiry dates on the formulas and they hope my son feels better,” said Jalali.
“Seriously? That’s all they’ve got to say for risking my son’s life?”
Shoppers’ insurance company has since offered to pay Jalali $450 for expenses from the ordeal. Jalali has refused the payment until Shoppers issues an apology and provides staff with training to ensure no expired formula is available for sale.
“This was a lesson and it was actually a wake-up call for myself and for all the other parents that don’t check expiry dates,” said Jalali.
A spokesperson for Shoppers Drug Mart responded to Global News late Tuesday afternoon, saying the company takes Jalali’s concerns very seriously and is “very sorry that this occurred.”
“The sale of expired baby formula is entirely unacceptable,” said the statement.
“We have strict policies and procedures regarding inventory management, especially when it comes to infant formula. We have taken steps to resolve this issue at store level and we are confident that this will not occur again.”
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has been alerted to Jalali’s case.
The baby formula has since been removed and the shelves remained empty as of Tuesday afternoon.
With files from Global’s Jill Croteau
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