This is claimed by the Chemicals Inspectorate, which inspected the chain on several occasions over ten years.
The company has repeatedly been hit with criminal charges and fines – while putting both customers and employees in danger.
It is about hundreds of kilos of goods that have been sold even though they contain quantities of harmful substances, reports Handelsnytt.
Breaking his promises
The Swedish Chemicals Agency is not gracious in its reports on Dollarstore.
Toys and plastic packaging sold are among the goods with excessive levels of cadmium and lead, among other things, which can cause cancer.
The authority believes that the company systematically commits recurring violations of the law and that Dollarstore itself has taken measures is not believed.
– The Chemicals Inspectorate is of the opinion that the measures that were promised were not sufficient, or that they were never fulfilled. The company’s routines are very deficient as even documentation that they are required by law to have, does not exist or cannot be found, they write in a report.
Employees risk cancer
The Swedish Chemicals Agency warns employees in the stores in particular about PAHs, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that can be found in, for example, handles of tools or other objects with black rubber.
It is at that level that employees risk cancer, liver damage, reduced immune system and allergic reactions for those who work unpacking goods for several years.
Dollarstore itself admits the shortcomings and believes that it has introduced a sales freeze and destroyed goods that it has found out are toxic.
It is also admitted that follow-up and quality assurance of the suppliers were not sufficient.
– Dollarstore has received and accepted fines for items sold in previous years linked mainly to chemicals, labeling requirements and product safety, emphasizes Märta Kuylenstierna, Quality and Sustainability Manager at Dollarstore, to Handelsnytt.
Fines of SEK 300,000
In February, it was discovered that 22,000 toxic products, including sunglasses, sunscreen, bags and table fans, were sold to customers in stores across the country between 2020 and 2021.
The company then received a fine of SEK 300,000.
– But should the company appear again in a context like this, it can be higher, said the chamber prosecutor Magnus Clase at the National Unit for Environmental and Work Environment Cases to Mitt i at the time.
130 stores in Sweden
Dollarstore has been well established in Sweden for several years and has as many as 130 stores on Swedish soil.
They describe themselves as “Sweden’s fastest growing discount chain”.
I somras köptes man upp av den finska börsnoterade lågprisaktören Tokmanni för 170 milojeno euro.
Last year, the company had a turnover of SEK 4 billion, according to the financial newspaper Market.
Photo: DollarStore
Text: The editors