Is your cart filled with “expired” products?

I have to admit, when I go to the store I rarely check the expiration date of anything that’s not produce, meat or dairy. For example, I don’t look at the expiration date of canned goods or boxes of cereal. Even medicines, like Advil, I’ll throw in my cart without examining, in the interest of time. But I should rethink that.

It turns out that even big chains could be stocking expired medicine and food. Pharmacy chain CVS recently came to a settlement with New York’s Office of the Attorney General after an investigation found it was stocking expired over-the-counter-medicine, milk, eggs and baby formula. CVS agreed to pay $875,000 and to stop putting expired stuff on its shelves.

Shortly after that, Connecticut’s Attorney General announced a lawsuit over similar allegations. His investigation found that nearly half of CVS stores in the state were selling expired medicine, food and beverages.

So add “check expiration date” to your list of ways to save money. Buying sour milk and ineffective medicine is as much a waste of money as flushing it down the toilet.