MEMPHIS, Tenn. — People living in impoverished neighborhoods already face a host of challenges just to get by day to day. They include substandard housing, crime, and in many instances, less than quality schools. On top of that, there are few if any good places to shop for decent food and other household necessities. Which makes the recent discovery of horrible conditions at a West Memphis Family Dollar distribution center all the more troubling.
What was discovered at the center is enough to make even a cast iron stomach churn. More than 1,000 rodents, both alive and dead, were found last month after a consumer complaint led to fumigation of the facility. In addition to the rodents, inspectors also found rodent feces, dead birds, and bird droppings all over the place.
Yuck. And of course, this center distributes food products and other goods to Family Dollar stores throughout Memphis and the Mid-South. Now, some 400 of those stores in six states are closed after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration stepped in and exposed it all.
Local officials are right to demand investigations. Ultimately what we will likely find is another example of how some companies that do business in lower income neighborhoods just don’t care enough about the people they serve. These are consumers who face enough safety concerns. They should not have to buy products from a disgusting place. We all should demand better.