Acting New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin on Thursday clarified what a state of emergency declared by Gov. Phil Murphy on Tuesday over an ongoing baby formula shortage means for merchants who may want to increase their profits from this coveted and essential item.

In a release, the Office of the Attorney General said Murphy's order put the state's price gouging law into effect, prohibiting for the entire length of the state of emergency and 30 days thereafter any price increase that exceeds 10% of what the price was prior to the emergency.

The OAG said the state Division of Consumer Affairs has received "approximately" 16 consumer complaints about baby formula price gouging to date, roughly half of them in the less than three days since the executive order was issued.

Get our free mobile app

Each individual sale is considered a separate violation, according to the OAG. A first offense is punishable by a civil penalty of up to $10,000, with the fine increasing to $20,000 for second and subsequent offenses.

Violators also may be subject to paying restitution to consumers, and attorney's and investigative fees, the release said.

The OAG said specific scams to watch out for include the offering or sale of expired baby formula, or any transaction that requires a wire transfer.

As the state Poison Control Center also suggested earlier Thursday, parents should consult their baby's pediatrician before making a change in formula.

Baby formula price gouging in New Jersey can be reported by filling out an online form, or calling 1-800-242-5846 to request a complaint form by mail.

Patrick Lavery is a reporter and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at patrick.lavery@townsquaremedia.com

Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story.

Voting for the 2022 class of the New Jersey Hall of Fame

These are the nominees for the 2022 class of the New Jersey Hall of Fame. They come from all walks of live, spanning generations back to the colonial era. The nominees cover the categories of Arts & Letters, Enterprise, Performing Arts & Entertainment, Public Service and Sports.

To vote, visit the Hall of Fame website here.

Netflix’s Most Popular English-Language TV Shows Ever

These are the most popular TV shows ever on Netflix (in English), based on hours viewed in their first 28 days on streaming.

LOOK: States With the Most New Small Businesses Per Capita

To find the top 20 states with the most new small businesses per capita, Simply Business analyzed the Census Bureau’s Business Formation Statistics from August 2020 to July 2021.

More From 92.7 WOBM