Family Dollar Recalls 400 Personal Care Products Over FDA Safety Concerns
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Family Dollar has issued a voluntary recall of products after investigation from the Food and Drug Administration in February.
The products, that were stored and shipped to 404 stores across six different states, all originated from one distribution center in West Memphis, Arkansas. The center, according to statement from the FDA, had "insanitary conditions, including a rodent infestation." The products from the center can be found in stores in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee.
"Families rely on stores like Family Dollar for products such as food and medicine. They deserve products that are safe," said Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs Judith McMeekin, said in the FDA's statement. "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."
In a Feb. 11 inspection from the FDA, "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 were recovered from the facility following a fumigation at the facility in January.
In addition, a review of the company's internal records indicated more than 2,300 rodents between Mar. 29 and Sep. 17, 2021, demonstrating a history of infestation.
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The FDA deemed products in those states unsafe from Jan. 1, 2021 onwards. Some examples of the recalled products include brand names like Tylenol, DayQuil, Crest toothpaste, Colgate toothpaste, Alka Seltzer, Motrin Ibuprofen, and hundreds of other items, NBC News reported. The full list of products can be found here.
In the statement, the FDA recommended to not use any of the listed products and to contact the company regarding the products. In addition, the FDA told consumers to discard "all drugs, medical devices, cosmetics and dietary supplements, regardless of packaging."
Food in non-permeable packaging, such as undamaged glass or all-metal cans, may be OK to consume if appropriately cleaned and sanitized. FDA also encouraged consumers to wash their hands immediately after handling any of the products.
If health concerns arise, the FDA recommended contacting a health care professional as rodent contaminated-products may lead to Salmonella and other infectious diseases.
Jeffrey Greenberg/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Family Dollar Store, anti-bacterial wipes and cleaning products. (Photo by: Jeffrey Greenberg/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
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According to the statement from the company announcing the recall, the company said they have not received any consumer complaints or reports of illness related to date.
"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," the company statement added. "Customers that may have bought affected product may return such product to the Family Dollar store where they were purchased without receipt."
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Adverse reactions or quality problems experienced with the use of this product may be reported to the FDA's MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program either online, by regular mail or by fax.
Customers with questions regarding this recall may contact Family Dollar Customer Service at 844-636-7687 between 9am and 5pm EST.
