SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 3 (UPI) -- A class-action lawsuit against Safeway Stores Inc. says the supermarket chain based in California has a duty to notify club card holders of food recalls.
Steve Gardner, a lawyer for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, says other chains, including Walmart and Costco, send e-mails to cardholders when there are recalls of products they sell.
The lawsuit does not claim any Safeway customers actually became sick or that the chain sold tainted products. It was filed on behalf of cardholders who say the chain did not notify them of recent recalls of eggs and peanut products for possible salmonella contamination.
"The store uses your club card to milk your information and boost sales. There's nothing wrong with that," Gardner said. "But when it knows it has sold products that may be contaminated with E. coli, salmonella or other hazardous bacteria, it doesn't use its marketing database to prevent illnesses or deaths."
The company said it notifies shoppers of recalls on its Web site and with press releases.
