Family Dollar Faces Allegations of Selling Contaminated Products

Ever wonder about the safety of products you buy at discount stores? Recent allegations against Family Dollar suggest you might have good reason to. The company is facing a class action lawsuit with serious allegations: customers claim they ended up buying contaminated products, which raises big questions about product safety and the responsibility of corporations to their customers.

A price tag on trust

Two Family Dollar shoppers, Gregg Morrison and Kenneth Johnson, are at the forefront of the proposed class action lawsuit. They allege that everyday items like personal care products and medicines were tainted due to improper storage conditions. From anti-perspirants to caffeine pills, these products may have been compromised, putting consumers at risk.

Moreover, the lawsuit, filed on February 21, highlights the disproportionate impact on low-income and fixed-income consumers. For these individuals, Family Dollar isn’t just a store—it’s a lifeline. Yet, instead of safeguarding their well-being, the company allegedly placed them at risk, all in the name of maximizing profits.

"Family Dollar repeatedly pushed these losses off on unsuspecting low- and fixed-income consumers," the lawsuit asserts, hinting at a narrative where profit margins trumped consumer safety. This isn't just about a faulty product here or there; it's about a systemic failure to uphold consumer trust.

The plaintiffs also criticize Family Dollar's recall procedures for not providing clear instructions on how consumers could claim refunds for these questionable products.

The list of allegations against Family Dollar includes negligence and breach of warranty, essentially accusing the company of cutting corners at the expense of consumer safety.

A heatwave of concerns

This isn't the first whiff of trouble for the discount retailer. The lawsuit draws attention to a less-than-flattering history, citing a 2022 U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) report uncovering rat infestations and improper temperature controls at a Family Dollar distribution center in Arkansas.

Despite these red flags, Family Dollar allegedly turned a blind eye, continuing to stock its shelves with questionable products. The Family Dollar product contamination lawsuit alleges that even after the FDA's warning, the company persisted in storing items under conditions that could compromise their safety.

To add insult to injury, Family Dollar issued five voluntary recalls between 2022 and 2023, admitting that certain products were "adulterated and unsafe."

An earlier multidistrict litigation also focused on the Arkansas facility plagued by rodents, with the products in question reaching customers in six states. Though Family Dollar didn't admit to any missteps, they did agree to a settlement that provided a $25 gift card to those affected, with a final hearing scheduled on April 5 to conclude the matter.

Beyond dollar signs

Morrison and Johnson are seeking justice not just for themselves but for Family Dollar shoppers across the nation, including specific classes in Georgia and Florida, aiming for both compensatory and punitive damages. They have demanded a trial by jury.

“We believe Family Dollar profited from selling unsafe products at a discount to those who had few other shopping options,” Steve Berman, representing the plaintiffs from Georgia and Florida, stated to Reuters.

The plaintiffs are represented by Stuart Z. Grossman, Manuel A. Arteaga-Gomez, William P. Mulligan, Ryan J. Yaffa, and Aimee A. Fererr Grossman Roth Yaffa Cohen, P.A; Steve W. Berman and Jerrod C. Patterson of Hagen Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP; and Gerald M. Abdalla Jr. of Abdalla Law, PLLC.

The proposed Family Dollar product contamination class action lawsuit is Morrison v. Family Dollar Stores, Inc., et al, Case No. 0:24-cv-60294-AHS in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.