You Should Never Buy Over-The-Counter Drugs At A Dollar Store. Here's Why

In 2019, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced via a press release that Dollar Tree, Dollar General, and Family Dollar would pay $1.2 million in fines and damages due to selling expired products at their stores. The judgment came more than three years after investigators began looking into the issue. "It's a tough pill for New Yorkers to swallow that the over-the-counter drugs they were buying may have been expired," James said. "New York consumers have a right to expect that products on store shelves are safe, fresh, and suitable for their advertised use. These settlements will ensure that Dollar General, Dollar Tree, and Family Dollar will not only pay both a substantial fine and damages, but, more importantly, update their business practices to comply with the law so that no expired over-the-counter drugs are sold to a New York consumer again."

The FDA's warning letter also told Greenbrier International, Inc. — which does business as Dollar Tree — that the manufacturers it procured OTC medications from had repeatedly committed serious violations of federal laws. The FDA also noted that other dollar stores in the U.S. sold products made by manufacturers with repeated offenses. Ultimately, it's better to buy your over-the-counter drugs at retailers you know and trust, and save the dollar store trips for bargains on other household items.