AG James today secured nearly $560,000 from Dollar Tree Stores, Inc. (Dollar Tree) for allowing unsafe, lead-contaminated children’s food to be sold at dozens of its New York stores for days following a nationwide recall. An Office of the Attorney General (OAG) investigation found that in October 2023, Dollar Tree received direct notification that WanaBana-brand cinnamon applesauce pouches – largely marketed for babies and young children – were recalled nationwide due to dangerously high levels of lead. Despite this notification, Dollar Tree failed to immediately block sales or fully remove the products from store shelves, allowing hundreds of contaminated applesauce pouches to be sold to customers statewide after the recall began. As part of today’s settlement, Dollar Tree must pay $559,250 in penalties, which will be used to strengthen lead poisoning prevention programs and expand access to healthy, affordable food in underserved New York communities. Dollar Tree must also overhaul its recall policies, including specialized recall training for its store managers in New York. 

“Parents should never have to worry that the food they buy at the store could harm their children. 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.” – AG James