The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning to Family Dollar stores on product safety in six states. The order is due to an inspection in Arkansas finding over 1,100 dead rats in the facility.
Family Dollar gets FDA warning for poor safety
An FDA inspection team found about 1,100 dead rats at a distribution facility located in West Memphis, Arkansas. “Conditions observed during the inspection included live rodents, dead rodents in various states of decay, rodent feces and urine, evidence of gnawing, nesting, and rodent odors throughout the facility, dead birds, and bird droppings, and products stored in conditions that did not protect against contamination. More than 1,100 dead rodents from the facility following fumigation at the facility in January 2022,” stated the FDA.
The investigation was following a consumer complaint. Currently, Family Dollar stores in five other states apart from Arkansas face impact from this event. They are Tennesse, Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama. Dietary supplements, pet food, cosmetics, and medicinal items were unusable by the animal infestation.
How is the store rectifying its negligence?
The firm stated that it will be issuing a voluntary recall of affected products. They also added that they were unaware of customers falling ill. “Family Dollar is notifying its affected stores by letter asking them to check their stock immediately and to quarantine and discontinue the sale of any affected product,” stated the firm. “Customers that may have bought affected product may return such product to the Family Dollar store where they were purchased without a receipt,” they added.
Additionally, FDA also revealed that the Arkansas facility has a history of rodent problems. “Additionally, a review of the company’s internal records also indicated the collection of more than 2,300 rodents between Mar. 29 and Sep. 17, 2021, demonstrating a history of infestation,” stated their report. “Families rely on stores like Family Dollar for products such as food and medicine. They deserve safe products,” stated Judith McMeekin. McMeekin is the Associate Commissioner for FDA’s regulatory affairs. “No one should be subjected to products stored in the kind of unacceptable conditions that we found in this Family Dollar distribution facility. These conditions appear to be violations of federal law that could put families’ health at risk. We will continue to work to protect consumers,” she emphasized.