On a July 14th, Dollar General announced that it intends to increase the availability of fresh fruit and vegetables in 5,000 stores by January 2024. The company claims to have produce and fruit in 3,900 stores effective at the beginning of the third quarter of the current year. Dollar General has donated $1 million to Feeding America, bringing the total to $3 million over the past two years. The Company intends providing up to 20 million meals each year for the needy in communities where it is located.
In recent years, Dollar General has been criticized by the USDA, state and local authorities for providing foods of questionable nutritional value and failure to stock fresh fruit and vegetables especially in areas where it serves communities characterized as “food deserts”. Dollar General has been denied approval to open stores in many urban areas based on the perception that customers are exploited. The company has an unenviable record of safety having amassed unpaid fines imposed by OSHA.
If the Company follows through with making fresh food available it will be providing a service to consumers. Dollar General will have to do more than make token contributions to charities to establish a solid image of corporate and community responsibility.