The Associated Press reports this morning that Family Dollar Stores, a subsidiary of Dollar Tree Inc., has pleaded guilty “to holding food, drugs, cosmetics and other items under ‘insanitary’ conditions at a now-closed, rodent-infested distribution center in West Memphis, Arkansas,” a plea deal that includes “a sentence of a fine and forfeiture amount totaling $41.675 million, the largest-ever monetary criminal penalty in a food safety case.”
Family Dollar and Dollar Tree also will have to “meet robust corporate compliance and reporting requirements for the next three years.”
“When consumers go to the store, they have the right to expect that the food and drugs on the shelves have been kept in clean, uncontaminated conditions,” said Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “When companies violate that trust and the laws designed to keep consumers safe, the public should rest assured: The Justice Department will hold those companies accountable.”
Family Dollar positioned itself as being entirely cooperative with the investigation.
“In 2022, Family Dollar issued a voluntary recall of product that allowed customers to return goods for a full refund without proof of purchase. While we are not aware of any consumer becoming ill due to conditions at the distribution center, 14 consumer class actions were brought against the company, and we have reached a tentative settlement in those cases without any admission of liability or wrongdoing,” a spokesperson. “We look forward to putting the litigation behind us so that we can focus on our business of providing affordable products to our customers, with quality and safety at the heart of what we do.”
KC’s View:
Let’s be clear. There were rats in the warehouse. They were caught on camera. The facility was disgusting.
Family Dollar had no choice but to cooperate.
I’m just glad that the company was forced to accept responsibility. They probably tried to blame the rats.
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