Tracey Brown

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Today, Walgreens issued the following statement on the passage of the Integrity, Notification, and Fairness in Online Retail Marketplaces (INFORM) Consumers Act in the U.S. Congressional 2023 omnibus spending package.

“Walgreens is grateful that Congress has included this common-sense measure in the 2023 omnibus spending package, since protecting our patients, customers and team members against retail theft and counterfeit merchandise is one of our top priorities,” said Tracey Brown, president Walgreens Retail and chief customer officer. We particularly want to thank Representatives Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), and Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Dick Durbin (D-IL), for serving as staunch champions for this important legislation.”

The INFORM Consumers Act is a bipartisan piece of federal legislation that is critical in helping law enforcement, manufacturers, retailers, and online marketplaces of all sizes work together to protect consumers from bad actors peddling counterfeit and stolen goods. The INFORM Consumers Act increases transparency and accountability by implementing sensible verification and disclosure requirements designed to disrupt the ability to sell illicit goods through online marketplaces. These criminal transactions compete directly with legitimate businesses, retailers, and emerging entrepreneurs. Specifically, online marketplaces will need to verify the identities of high-volume third-party sellers and disclose basic information to shoppers and law enforcement.

In October 2021 when the legislation was first introduced, Walgreens joined dozens of other associations, businesses, manufacturers, and marketplaces supporting the legislation. Once enacted, INFORM is slated to empower every state attorney general to enforce the law’s provisions.

Walgreens is proud to work with states that have already established statewide Organized Retail Crime (ORC) task forces to coordinate efforts between attorneys general, local law enforcement and retail asset protection professionals to build cases and prosecute criminals. Walgreens is encouraging every state to make tackling ORC a priority by funding dedicated task forces to prosecute criminal rings operating in their communities.