whole foods hipsterRemember the old joke that says Whole Foods real name is actually Whole Paycheck? It turns out the joke is true. Whole Foods has been accused of shortchanging customers and overcharging them. What’s worse is you may not even be getting as much food as you think you’re paying for. It appears that whole foodshas been charging customers for the weight of the food plus the packaging. They’re supposed to deduct the weight of the packaging. The overcharges ranged from 80 cents for a package of pecan panko to $14.84 for a container of coconut shrimp,

Via the New York Daily News.

New York City Inspectors weighed 80 different types of items at Whole Foods’ eight locations in the city that were open at the time. They found every label was inaccurate, with many overcharging consumers, agency spokeswoman Abby Lootens told The News.

Whole Foods spokesman Michael Sinatra said the Texas-based chain “never intentionally used deceptive practices to incorrectly charge customers.”

Sinatra said Whole Foods disagrees with the city’s findings and is “vigorously defending” itself against the allegations. Sinatra also noted that the store always refunds any items found to have been incorrectly priced.

NYC PAPERS OUT. Social media use restricted to low res file max 184 x 128 pixels and 72 dpiSusan Watts/New York Daily News

Daily News reporter Reuven Blau shops at Whole Foods on Greenwich St. in Tribeca to determine the accuracy of weighted items on Tuesday.

Whole Foods, according to the city, wasn’t the only bad apple. The sweep included 120 grocery stores citywide, and 77% were hit with one or more violations.

But the notoriously pricy chain was the most egregious offender — leading DCA to open a full-blown investigation of its pricing practices last year, said Commissioner Julie Menin.

“Our inspectors told me it was the worst case of overcharges that they’ve ever seen,” Menin said.

The overcharges ranged from 80 cents for a package of pecan panko to $14.84 for a container of coconut shrimp, Lootens said.

Overall, the city’s Whole Foods stores have received more than 800 violations during 107 separate inspections since 2010, totaling more than $58,000 in fines, a Daily News analysis of data obtained via a Freedom of Information Law request shows.

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