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Mouse-infested warehouse lands Family Dollar Stores with record $41M fine

https://lemmy.world/post/12474288

Mouse-infested warehouse lands Family Dollar Stores with record $41M fine - Lemmy.World

An investigation found “live rodents, dead and decaying rodents, rodent feces, urine and odors,” at a warehouse in Arkansas. Family Dollar Stores was this week ordered to pay $41.6 million for using a rodent-infested warehouse to distribute food, cosmetics and medical devices to more than 400 stores across the South. The largest criminal penalty of its kind comes after a U.S. Food and Drug Administration investigation found “live rodents, dead and decaying rodents, rodent feces, urine, and odors, and evidence of gnawing and nesting,” at the company’s distribution center in West Memphis, Arkansas, the Justice Department said in a statement.

Feb 27, 2024 at 3:19pmWeb
Show threadPhiloFeb 27, 2024
this is why you don’t buy food at Family Dollar.
Show threaddohpaz42Feb 27, 2024
There are a disproportionate amount of people out there that cannot afford to buy food from anywhere else. And it’s probably going to get worse as grocery prices continue to us to rise.
Show threadPhiloFeb 27, 2024
When was the last time you looked at the prices of food at Family Dollar? They aren’t a dollar store. They are more expensive than most grocery stores.
Show threadBlackbeardFeb 27, 2024
John Oliver did a good piece that showed how, in some cases, people are paying more at a “dollar” store than they would elsewhere. Per-unit prices are higher because they shrink the product size to keep the price low, which triggers a psychological response in people who think they’re getting a deal, when in fact they’re getting scammed. The real problem is that because of that psychological bias, people have flocked to “dollar” stores in rural areas to such an extent that their old school grocer has long since gone out of business. I own farmland in one of these food deserts, and if you don’t shop at the “dollar” store, you buy groceries at a gas station or travel 25+ minutes to get to the next town. In those areas, there simply isn’t food anywhere else, which is so incredibly sad.
Dollar Stores: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

YouTube
Show threadmipadaituFeb 27, 2024

Also, if you only have $4, you can’t save money by buying a $5 bag of rice. You have to spend more to buy a bunch of $1 tiny bags of rice one a time.
It’s cheaper to buy a house that’s well built and maintain it, but then you have a higher upfront cost.
It’s really expensive being poor.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boots_theory

Boots theory - Wikipedia

Show threadBolexForSoupFeb 27, 2024
It should be compulsory in the US to read Nickle and Dimed but in the current climate it’d probably lead to the GOP passing more laws attacking schools and libraries.
Show threadSemi-Hemi-DemigodFeb 27, 2024
It should be compulsory to read Discworld, too. And would amplify that effect.
Show threadBolexForSoupFeb 27, 2024
Never read it!
Show threadSemi-Hemi-DemigodFeb 27, 2024
I'm a little jealous because I would love to read that series for the first time again
Show threadBolexForSoupFeb 28, 2024
So should I just dive in? First book in the series?
Show threadSemi-Hemi-DemigodFeb 28, 2024
don't worry, we have flowcharts to help you
Show threadpearsaltchocolatebarFeb 27, 2024

Yup, I live a mile from one and go fairly frequently because construction makes getting to a grocery store a pain.

Food prices are definitely higher than an actual grocery store. It’s basically just a large convenience store cosplaying as a discount store.

Show threadRentlarFeb 27, 2024
The great thing is that much of the cost savings you would have gotten from the farther grocery store, would evaporate from the automobile transportation cost.
Show threadPhiloFeb 27, 2024
That is simply not true. The prices are higher in Family Dollar and people are shopping there for the most part because they think it’s convenient and they are getting a deal. Also if you throw in the younger generation (or in some cases just plain lazier but older people), they would rather buy the frozen and unhealthy crap at Family Dollar than cook something for less than 1/3 the cost.
Show threadSpaceNoodleFeb 27, 2024
Kids these days, amirite?
Show threadVaultBoyNewVegasFeb 27, 2024

Not American so I couldn’t care less about dollar store itself but when I see comments equating choosing an easier option is lazy and people should cook more, it pisses me fucking off. I have a chronic disease, I have been suffering from a flare up with it for 5 weeks, my disease means that I literally shit blood and also regularly have to use the toilet while also being in pain, if I choose " frozen and unhealthy crap" to cook it’s because I literally fucking can’t stand in a kitchen and do prep and cook and keep an eye on the fucking thing cooking. All I had to eat yesterday was some sandwiches and toast, today I haven’t eaten anything because I’ve no appetite.

I’m not the only person who has an illness or a disability who can’t cook every fucking day with all that is involved in it. Grow some fucking perspective.

Show threadPhiloFeb 27, 2024
If you think that everybody who goes to Family Dollar for food has the same problem, that is your twisted perspective. I suggest that instead of being a fucking imbecile on Lemmy you seek medical attention for your disease and find a way to eat an actual healthy meal (which would help with your condition) as overly processed crap is in no way helping anything.
Show threadOdelay42Feb 27, 2024
You need to check your privilege and pause for a moment. Your opinion is not more valuable than theirs. Insults and judgement in angry posts undermine whatever point you were trying to make.
Show threadPhiloFeb 27, 2024
Privilege? Oh, you’re one of those.
Show threadPhiloFeb 27, 2024
It’s like you read the word lazy and stopped reading. Reading is fundamental you know. Maybe try reading the whole comment next time to understand it before going off half-cocked.
Show threadpapertowelsFeb 28, 2024
Food deserts typically have more family dollars/dollar general type stores. Folks that live in these areas oftentimes have no other choice, because a dollar general that doesn’t have to worry about fresh fruit and veggies spoilage can operate at lower costs than a grocery, and will price them out.
Show threadDefault_DefectFeb 28, 2024
There’s a small small town I pass through somewhat regularly that only has a dollar tree, a gas station, and two restaurants (one of which just burned down). The drive to an actual grocery store is non-trivial. It’s real thing.
Show threadgivesomefucksFeb 27, 2024

I think it was John Oliver that did a story on them.

It’s a total shit show, but for some people in food deserts it’s their only accessible option.

Show threadFlying SquidFeb 27, 2024

Yes it was. And their whole philosophy is to cut as many costs as possible, even when it makes zero sense. Such as not keeping a warehouse pest-free.

As John Oliver showed, they also tend to have one employee per shift per store, which makes things almost impossible to manage.

Show thread🔰Hurling⚜️Durling🔱Feb 28, 2024

Mostly because towns allow them in and they create the food dessert. Here’s another video essay about them

www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQpUV--2Jao

How Dollar Stores Quietly Consumed America

YouTube
Show threadphi1997Feb 27, 2024
What did they do wrong? They're just providing value by offering consumers free pets with their food!
Show threadthefartographerFeb 27, 2024
That’s a shit joke
Show threadVoyajerFeb 27, 2024
It’s a urine joke too
Show threadthefartographerFeb 27, 2024
That’s how you know when you’ve joined the peepee club
Show threadHWK_290Feb 27, 2024
Urine over your head, kid
Show threadCuttlefish1111Feb 27, 2024
Let them eat Flakes
Show threadTechpriest2Feb 27, 2024
Yup, that 0.39% fine should really teach them a lesson.
Show threadLaunchesKayaksFeb 27, 2024
I just bought stuff from a family dollar 💀
Show threadSturgiesYrFaseFeb 27, 2024
F in the chat boys. Our dude’s not long for the world.
Show threadLaunchesKayaksFeb 27, 2024
Spread my ashes in Dollar Tree
Show threadSturgiesYrFaseFeb 28, 2024
This is the way…
Show threadweeeeumFeb 28, 2024
How else do you think they keep it a dollar💀
Show threadshastaxcFeb 28, 2024
They don’t. It’s $1.25 now
Show threadWahotsFeb 28, 2024

The department said the fine was the largest ever in a food safety case in the United States. As part of a plea agreement, both Family Dollar Stores and Dollar Tree must meet " robust" corporate reporting guidelines for the next three years.

Three years? Good God, make it ten. That is disgusting and dangerous. Three years is not enough time for a company to be making mistakes that large.

Show threadjobbyFeb 28, 2024
All that free protein, and people are complaining?!?!