Senator Dawn Addiego, along with Assemblyman Chris J. Brown and Assemblywoman Maria Rodriguez-Gregg, have announced the introduction of legislation protecting consumers from potentially misleading labels on propane tank exchanges. The bill would require retailers to display not just the price per cylinder, but the actual price per pound for the propane gas itself; as well as giving the consumer a receipt that details the total number of pounds or units sold, the price per pound or unit, and the total sale.
“This legislation acts as an important consumer protection- it allows those purchasing propane to make a more informed decision”, said Addiego “With the upcoming Memorial Day weekend we believe the last thing families planning a barbecue should have to worry about is whether or not they are being duped in to paying more money for less.”
“Given the increased use of canister exchanges in recent years, my colleagues and I believe that consumers would benefit from knowing exactly what amount of propane they get for what price”, said Brown. “While this is certainly a more convenient way to purchase gas for grilling, it could also benefit from some more transparency for the customer. We have heard the calls of our constituents to address this issue and we are moving forward with a common sense solution.”
“A great number of propane retailers and vendors have made a practice of advertising the total price paid for a cylinder of propane, as opposed to the price per unit and the actual total volume,” said Rodriguez-Gregg. “This bill would force retailers to give customers a clearer picture of what they are getting per dollar, similar to the way gas prices are advertised for roadside gas stations.”
This is not the first time propane cylinder exchanges have been scrutinized for questionable business practices. Recently, the two leading propane tank exchange companies were cited for price fixing and colluding to lower the amount of propane in each tank without informing the consumer. The practice was kept so secret that not even Wal-Mart, one of the largest retailers of propane tank exchanges, was made aware of the change. The legislation would go in to effect six months after passage.
