Amazon's management of its gigantic marketplace has been put to the test as a new report released on Sunday suggested that the e-commerce platform sends out expired food to consumers.
According to CNBC, complaints have increased regarding the shipment of expired and potentially unsafe products. The outlet visited Amazon's Grocery & Gourmet category to find multiple complaints about expired food deliveries.
Among the alleged expired goods that customers received through the platform are Goldfish crackers, granola bars, baby food, baby formula, beef jerky, coffee creamer, and hot sauce.
The outlet further discovered that around 40 percent of third-party sellers on the e-commerce site received over five customer complaints relating to expired products.
Deputy Director of Regulatory Affairs at the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), Sarah Sorscher, pointed out that the complaints on Amazon's third-party seller listings are alarming.
Director of Food Policy at advocacy organization Consumer Federation of America, Thomas Gremillion, echoed Sorscher's statements. Gremillion argued that it is unclear how the leading e-commerce platform is implementing its consumption goods policies.
A spokesperson for the U.S. online selling platform clarified that all products sold through the website should comply with Amazon policies at all times. The spokesperson explained that third-party merchants selling consumption goods are mandated to provide a clear expiration date.
The company argued that the issues regarding expired listings were isolated cases and that it has taken the proper action to ensure that listings were at par with company consumption goods standards.
The spokesperson also noted that buyers with concerns or complaints about their purchases are encouraged to "contact our Customer Service directly" for investigation and proper action from the e-commerce site.
This isn't the first time Amazon faced complaints about its third-party products and its listing management. In August, the Wall Street Journal revealed that there are thousands of banned or unsafe goods sold on the site.
As a result of the revelation, three Democratic party senators submitted a letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos to inquire about the issue. The inquiry is part of the U.S. government's bid to have a closer look into the business practices of the American Big Tech firms.
During the Democratic debate last week, Sen. Elizabeth Warren noted that Amazon is one of the Big Tech firms that "gets all the information, and then goes into competition with those little businesses."
In March, Warren announced her plan to "break up" American Big Tech that comprises of Google, Facebook, Apple, and Amazon. It remains to be seen how the White House probe into these firms will answer questions about potential antitrust violations involving four of the biggest tech giants in the world.
