Dollar Tree Poisoned Kids with Lead, Pays $560K

NEW YORK – Discount retailer Dollar Tree Stores, Inc. will shell out nearly $560,000 after knowingly peddling lead-contaminated applesauce pouches to unsuspecting New Yorkers, Attorney General Letitia James announced today. The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) investigation revealed Dollar Tree dragged its feet for days after being directly warned about the dangerous levels of lead in WanaBana-brand cinnamon applesauce – a product heavily marketed to babies and toddlers.

The OAG found that on October 29, 2023, Dollar Tree received an urgent notification from its supplier detailing the nationwide recall of WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit purée pouches due to dangerously high lead content. Instead of immediately pulling the product, Dollar Tree stalled. They waited over 24 hours to activate a “register lock” – a basic step to prevent cashiers from selling the tainted pouches – and in some locations, the recalled products lingered on shelves for weeks. Even worse, the company fulfilled an online order for the recalled applesauce a full week after the recall began.

“Parents should never have to worry that the food they buy at the store could harm their children,” Attorney General James stated bluntly. “Dollar Tree’s failure to act quickly after learning these products were contaminated put New York families at serious risk. My office is holding Dollar Tree accountable and forcing meaningful changes to make sure recalled and dangerous products are removed from shelves immediately going forward. I will always take action to protect New York’s children from lead poisoning.”

The damage is already done. State health data shows dozens of New York children suffered elevated blood lead levels linked to the WanaBana applesauce, with the majority of affected families reporting purchases made at Dollar Tree stores. Lead, a notorious neurotoxin, can cause severe and irreversible health problems, especially in young children. Dollar Tree, with over 300 stores across New York – many in underserved “food desert” communities – had a responsibility to protect its customers, and it failed spectacularly.

As part of the settlement, Dollar Tree will pay $559,250 in penalties – roughly $2,474 per three-pack unit sold after the recall notice. These funds will be directed toward strengthening lead poisoning prevention programs and expanding access to healthy, affordable food in vulnerable New York communities. The company is also mandated to overhaul its recall policies and provide specialized training for store managers in New York. This isn’t just about money; it’s about forcing Dollar Tree to prioritize safety over profit.

Attorney General James alleges that Dollar Tree’s deliberate delay in complying with the recall violated multiple New York laws, including prohibitions against selling contaminated food and regulations governing deceptive business practices. This case sends a clear message: companies that put profits before the health and safety of children will face the full force of the law.