Dollar Tree settles expired drug action

The Yolo County District Attorney’s Consumer Fraud and Environmental Protection Division recently settled a civil law enforcement action against Dollar Tree Stores, Inc., Dollar Tree Distribution, Inc. and Family Dollar, LLC. The $2.8 million settlement was in conjunction with the San Joaquin County and San Bernardino County District Attorneys’ offices.

The civil complaint, filed in San Joaquin County Superior Court, alleged that Dollar Tree, headquartered in Chesapeake, Va., offered and sold expired over-the-counter drug products.

Dollar Tree operates six stores in Yolo County. Retail establishments that sell over-the-counter drug products are required to ensure that those products have not exceeded the manufacturer’s printed expiration date.

Dollar Tree cooperated during the investigation and evaluated all products on their shelves at their over 750 California locations. Dollar Tree further invested time and resources to prioritize the verification of expiration dates and re-train store personnel. There was no evidence that the sale of outdated over-the-counter drug products resulted in harm to consumers.

“Consumers should be able to trust what they are buying is not expired before they bring it home,” stated District Attorney Jeff Reisig.

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Without admitting guilt, Dollar Tree agreed to be bound by a court order which prohibits any additional violations of California’s laws related to the sale of expired over-the-counter drugs.