FDA blasts Dollar Tree for ignoring dangerous applesauce recall

Dollar Tree Inc. is under fire after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) publicly released a damning warning letter directed at CEO Rick Dreiling. The FDA's investigation found that Dollar Tree stores continued to offer bags of WanaBana applesauce and cinnamon that were contaminated with high levels of lead despite a recall that began in October 2023.

The recall began when the FDA, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state health departments, detected elevated levels of lead in bags of fruit puree, linked to cases of lead poisoning in children. Laboratory tests confirmed dangerous levels of lead in samples collected from Dollar Tree stores, making the product unsafe for consumption under the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act ( FD&C Act).

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Wanabana USA, the manufacturer of the product, voluntarily recalled the pouches of cinnamon applesauce on October 29, 2023. According to the FDA letterDollar Tree was quickly notified, but did not remove the dangerous products from its shelves.

The FDA conducted multiple recall audit checks (RACs) through state and local partners, revealing that Dollar Tree did not effectively communicate the recall to its stores. Reports indicated that numerous stores continued to sell the recalled product until December 2023, despite repeated warnings and communications from the FDA.

According to the letter, on November 6, 2023, a consumer complaint in Kitsap County, WA, highlighted the defective response to the recall. A child consumed a bag of fruit straight from the shelf, only to be informed at the register by the parents that the item was part of an active recall.

During November and December 2023, Dollar Tree assured the FDA of its efforts to remove the product. However, the FDA said they continued to receive reports of recalled bags available in stores. Despite promises of corrective actions and the hiring of an outside auditor, the company failed to demonstrate sustainable, long-term measures to prevent these violations in the future.

The FDA's letter emphasized that the continued sale of these adulterated products is in serious violation of federal law and urged Dollar Tree to take immediate corrective action to prevent their recurrence. Failure to comply could result in legal action, including garnishments and injunctions.