Callahan & Blaine

The 99¢ Only Store was fined this week for illegally selling misbranded toxic products in violation of federal law. The 99¢ Only Store’s violations were discovered in multiple inspections by federal officials in California, Arizona and Nevada between 2004 and 2008.

A federal judge ordered the retail chain to pay nearly $410,000 in penalties for selling household cleaning and anti-pest products containing illegal, unregistered and misbranded pesticides. The fine is the largest ever ordered against a retailer by an EPA administrative law judge.

A cleaning product imported from Mexico received the most violations. The product, called Bref, was not registered with the Environmental Protection Agency even though the label made claims that the product acted as a pesticide. A separate product meant to clean fruits and vegetables contained illegal pesticides, while a third product was misbranded due to improperly applied labels in violation of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act.

According to federal law, all products containing pesticides must be registered with the EPA, and manufacturers, sellers and distributors are all responsible for making sure products comply with federal law.

In an unrelated case, the 99¢ Only Store is the subject of a class action lawsuit brought by Callahan and Blaine. The lawsuit states the 99¢ Only Store has been ripping off its customers for several years because raised its prices in a misleading manner.

For 25 years, Callahan & Blaine has been perfecting the ultimate litigation law firm. All Callahan & Blaine attorneys are highly sophisticated litigators and trial attorneys; we only utilize highly experienced attorneys, all of whom have at least seven years of experience and many have 15-25 years’ experience. For the attorneys of Callahan & Blaine, winning is our specialty.

If you are involved in a legal matter regarding violation of consumer trust, contact Callahan & Blaine to discuss your case today.