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Products from 100s of Family Dollar stores recalled after rodent infestation

The recall affected products from stores across Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee.
A man walks into a Family Dollar Stores Inc. location in Mansfield, Texas, U.S.
A man walks into a Family Dollar Stores Inc. location in Mansfield, Texas, U.S.Bloomberg / Bloomberg via Getty Images

Family Dollar has voluntarily recalled multiple products regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration across six states after an investigation found unsanitary conditions, including a rodent infestation, at a distribution facility.

On Friday, the FDA released a statement announcing that multiple categories of regulated products purchased at Family Dollar stores across Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee from January 1, 2021 to present may be unsafe for consumer usage due to potential contamination.

The select products came from Family Dollar's distribution facility located in West Memphis, Arkansas, where the FDA discovered the unsafe conditions.

The investigation began after a consumer complaint to the FDA. Family Dollar stopped distribution of products after the FDA inspection team discovered live and dead rodents, rodent feces and urine, visual evidence of gnawing and nesting, and rodent odors through the facility, as well as dead birds and bird droppings. Additionally, the products were stored in conditions that did not protect from contamination.

According to the FDA, internal records from Family Dollar showed a history of infestation, with more than 2,300 rodents collected from the facility from March 2021 to September 2021.

“Families rely on stores like Family Dollar for products such as food and medicine. They deserve products that are safe,” associate commissioner for regulatory affairs Judith McMeekin, Pharm.D said in a 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.”

According to the FDA release, the affected products include: 

  • Human foods (including dietary supplements)
  • Cosmetics (skincare products, baby oils, lipsticks, shampoos and baby wipes)
  • Animal foods (kibble, pet treats and wild bird seed)
  • Medical devices (feminine hygiene products, surgical masks, contact lens cleaning solutions, bandages and nasal care products)
  • Over-the-counter medications (pain mediations, eye drops, dental products, antacids and other medications for adults and children)

The FDA advises that any individual who purchased the affected products contact a healthcare professional if they have concerns after handling or using the products. Rodent contamination can cause salmonella and other infectious disease, which can put infants, children, pregnant women, the elderly and immunocompromised people at a higher risk.

“We take situations like this very seriously and are committed to providing safe and quality products to our customers,” Kayleigh Campbell, a spokesperson for Family Dollar, told TODAY via email on Sunday. “We have been fully cooperating with all regulatory agencies in the resolution of this matter and are in the process of remediating the issue."

"We temporarily closed the affected stores in order to proficiently conduct the voluntary recall of certain FDA-regulated products," Campbell continued. "Our teams are working hard to reopen these stores as soon as possible.”

In a press release, Family Dollar shared the full list of the 404 affected stores. The company said that all stores listed will be notified and asked to check their stock and stop any of the affected products from being sold. Consumers who have purchased the affected stock can return the items to the store where they were purchased without providing a receipt.