Sneaky Tricks 'Dollar Stores' Pull That The Owners Don't Want People To Know About
Birthday cards, candy, and trinkets to keep the kids busy — there's a lot at dollar stores that can make a shopper's jaw drop when they see that famous $0.99 price tag. Everyone has thought, this price seems way too good to be true, but is there any merit to that worry? The answer is a complicated "sometimes." Make sure you're not a victim of the most commonly seen tricks dollar stores use to make sure profits stay high.
40. Canned Toxins
Checking a can's label won't keep you safe from Bisphenol A, an industrial chemical that can sometimes make its way into canned goods. Studies have uncovered links between the compound and high blood pressure, as well as children's moods and behaviors.
39. Toxic Toys
Products at the dollar store are cheap because they're cheaply made. A 2015 study conducted by Ecocenter revealed there's a 49 percent chance of any dollar store toy having at least two toxins in them. There's an 81 percent chance that the cheap plastic will contain at least one toxin.
38. Uncertified Electronics
When it comes to picking up a cheap USB charger or other piece of equipment at the dollar store, check its label — or lack of one. Electronics should have a UL label (Underwriters Laboratories). As the top safety certification company, a UL label ensures the product meets its safety standards. A bad scenario? You wasted your dollar. Worst case scenario? An electrical fire and a ruined appliance.
37. Hidden Brands
Oh, and all those dollar boxes of cereal? Make sure you double check the label. Like really squint at it. According to TheStreet, brands make additional products with far lesser quality, and knock-off brands are packaged extremely similarly to some of the top cereals. Still, cheap cereal rules.