KCRA & the Safeway Meat Scandal (3)
I checked the teletype room to see what the wire services had carried so far that morning. There was a mention of Waldie in one of the radio-edited "wrapups:"
DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN JEROME WALDIE OF CALIFORNIA SAYS SAFEWAY GROCERY COMPANY IS "SUBSTITUTING CHEAPER CUTS OF MEAT FOR MORE EXPENSIVE CUTS AT PREMIUM PRICES."
HE SAYS THIS AMOUNTS TO CHEATING THE CONSUMER BY AS MUCH AS 39 CENTS A POUND FOR BEEF.
The AP story wasn't exactly conclusive, but it at least gave me a clue to what the controversy was all about. AP went into more depth in a story about some legal proceedings:
(DENVER, COLORADO)--A $13 (M) MILLION CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT HAS BEEN FILED IN DENVER DISTRICT COURT AGAINST SAFEWAY FOOD STORES INCORPORATED, ALLEGING THAT GROUND BEEF LABELED AND SOLD BY THE GROCERY CHAIN AS "LEAN" OR "EXTRA LEAN" CONTAINS FAT AMOUNTS "HIGHER OR EQUAL TO THAT" OF REGULAR HAMBURGER.
THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED YESTERDAY ON BEHALF OF THE INTERFAITH COMMITTEE TO AID FARMWORKERS IN CALIFORNIA.
THE ACTIONS ALSO ASKS FOR AN INJUNCTION BARRING SAFEWAY FROM CONTINUING TO AFFIX SUCH LABELS TO HAMBURGER.
IT ALSO SEEKS DAMAGES OF $250,000 PER MONTH UP TO A FOUR-YEAR PERIOD PRECEDING THE FILING OF THE LAWSUIT, ONE (M) MILLION DOLLARS FOR HEALTH INJURIES, AND $500,000 PER MONTH FOR EACH MONTH SAFEWAY CONTINUES IN SUCH ACTIONS.
03:41APS 03-21-73
