CVS has agreed to pay a $225,000 penalty for mislabeling store-brand beauty products.
The health and retail giant settled allegations by four California counties and the state's Department of Agriculture that the labeling of 11 different hair and skin ointments misrepresented how much product each package contained, according to a report by Fresno-based ABC 30.
Aside from a $1,200 fee paid to the Department of Agriculture, the money will be divided between Fresno, Yolo, Sacramento and Shasta counties.
"While manufacturers generally choose the container size, CVS/pharmacy has agreed to redesign the packaging of certain CVS Brand items," the company said in a statement to ABC 30.
Eight moisturizing and wrinkle creams, two hair products and a topical acne-fighting gel were identified. Under the terms of the settlement, CVS may continue to manufacture and sell the mislabeled products until Jan. 1, 2015. The company has two years to comply with California's labeling law.
It's unclear whether the implicated products are being sold at CVS locations nationwide, or just in California. CVS did not immediately respond on Saturday to calls and emails from The Huffington Post requesting comment.
The settlement marks the second mea culpa in as many weeks issued by the company.
Last month, CVS apologized for illegally charging women $20 co-pays for birth control, in violation of a regulation in the Affordable Care Act that requires health insurers to offer all generic forms of Food and Drug Administration-approved contraceptives at no cost. The company has said it is sending refunds to customers who were charged.