Aramark Exploitation and Violations AGAIN

Accounts of misconduct throughout West Virginia mirror a nationwide problem, as Aramark Corporation has been repeatedly accused of severe health and safety violations, sanitation violations, unauthorized food substitutions, undercooked food, and food shortages where it has done business in correctional facilities across the country.

Aramark Cut Free Prison Meals to Boost Profits.

​New Suit Claims A new federal class-action lawsuit alleges that the food service company Aramark systematically denies adequate free meals to incarcerated people in West Virginia to compel them to purchase higher-cost food items from the company's own vendors. This alleged scheme has been dubbed "Starve and Charge" by some, highlighting the predatory nature of the practice. 

Key Allegations
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• Forced Purchases: Aramark, which holds a monopoly on all food provision within the facilities, is accused of providing poor-quality and insufficient free meals, pushing a "captive consumer market" to spend their limited income or rely on family members to buy food from Aramark's commissaries and care package programs.
• Contract Violations: The lawsuit claims Aramark is violating its contract with the State of West Virginia, which mandates the provision of "wholesome, sufficient, and nutritionally balanced" daily meals. Incarcerated individuals report being served turkey "pellets," leftovers, and food missing key ingredients, far below the required standards.
• Exploitation: Plaintiffs argue that Aramark is using the basic human necessity of food as leverage to unfairly profit from vulnerable individuals and their families. One plaintiff reported spending nearly all of his $70 monthly income on commissary items, while another family member has spent over $4,000 on supplemental food packages since 2022.
• Legal Basis: The suit, filed in a federal district court in West Virginia by Relman Colfax PLLC and the National Consumer Law Center, alleges violations of the West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act.
• Systemic Issues: This lawsuit reflects a pattern of complaints and legal challenges against Aramark in other states (including Michigan, Ohio, and Mississippi) over issues like food shortages, unsanitary conditions, and maggot infestations, which have sometimes resulted in fines or contract terminations. 

​Aramark generated $18.5 billion in fiscal year 2025 revenue and did not respond to requests for comment regarding the West Virginia suit. The plaintiffs are seeking monetary damages, restitution, and an injunction to halt these practices.

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