Dollar store brands are facing a reckoning after customers slam the industry for selling expired items and creating 'food deserts'

Also complicating matters is a series of lawsuits against the major dollar stores for collectively selling expired products, resulting in total fines and damages of $1.2 million. On August 26, New York Attorney General Leticia James announced the culmination of a months-long investigation on the sale of expired drugs and unsuitable motor oil, as well as illegal practices regarding the bottle deposit law in the state of New York.

"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 in a statement. "New York consumers have a right to expect that products on store shelves are safe, fresh and suitable for their advertised use."

The fines will also effectively ensure that Dollar General, Dollar Tree, and Family Dollar improve their business practices and update their policies moving forward to avoid further legal action.

Among the most troubling findings, investigators discovered that Dollar General-branded motor oil is not viable for most engines created after 1930, and that the store failed to notify consumers otherwise. Additionally, several over-the-counter medications were months beyond the expiration date.

Moving forward, Dollar General, Dollar Tree, and Family Dollar have a significant amount of work to do to pay their debts, turn business practices around, and stop the acceleration of food deserts in the US.