Albertsons earned a letter grade of C, which reflects a slight increase from its C- grade in 2018. The company scored 50.5 out of 146.5 possible points, ranking 17th out of the 43 retailers evaluated this year.
Since 2017, Albertsons has had a safer chemicals policy, which applies to specific product categories amongst its private brands. Albertsons has specifically targeted BPA across the packaging of its private brands, having set a goal for eliminating the chemical and reporting on progress along the way. For specific private-label brands, Albertsons has additional provisions, including a beyond restricted substance list (BRSL) for its Open Nature line and EPA Safer Choice certification for some cleaning products, but since they are not universal across product categories, we do not award points for them. Testing commissioned this year by the Mind the Store campaign and Toxic-Free Future identified the likely presence of PFAS in some of the tested samples of Albertsons private-brand products, and in response, the retailer worked with its suppliers to eliminate a PFAS coating from some bakery and prepared food packaging (cake plates), which is a positive step forward.
Opportunities for improvement: Albertsons can make progress by developing and enforcing a public BRSL that applies to all of its private-label brands as well as brand-name products in key categories and setting public quantifiable goals with clear timelines for reducing and eliminating chemicals of high concern (CHCs). In particular, we urge the company to eliminate and safely replace toxic indirect food additives in food contact materials, with special attention paid to any bisphenols and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that may be in food packaging and other food contact materials (besides in the cake plates that it has acted on) as well as any phthalates that may be in food and food contact materials in its supply chain. Albertsons should also become a signatory to the Chemical Footprint Project and pilot it with key private label suppliers.
Summary of Albertsons Companies’s Grade

10 out of 17.5 points
Policy: Adopted a retailer safer chemicals policy
Albertsons has not set public quantifiable goals for reducing and eliminating CHCs, its policy does not appear to apply to its operations, nor does it have a publicly available manufacturing restricted substance list (MRSL).

2.5 out of 5 points
Oversight: Established management responsibilities and incentives
Albertsons does not appear to offer financial incentives for senior management to implement its safer chemicals policy.

2.5 out of 12.5 points
Accountability: Ensures supply chain accountability

0 out of 13 points
Disclosure: Requires suppliers to report use of chemicals in products to retailer

12 out of 16 points
Action: Reduced or eliminated chemicals of high concern (CHCs) within the last three years

3.25 out of 13.5 points
Safer Alternatives: Evaluates safer alternatives, avoids regrettable substitutes
The company states: “We worked with private-label product suppliers to identify acceptable alternatives to packaging containing BPA….using alternatives that are currently available, we have made notable packaging and product changes.” However, the reports “Kicking the Can?” and “BPA – Buyer Beware,” published respectively in 2017 and 2016, documented regrettable substitutes, such as vinyl- and styrene-based resins, in Albertsons’s BPA-free cans. This demonstrates that Albertsons must develop a plan to evaluate alternatives when eliminating or reducing CHCs to avoid regrettable substitutes such as these. The company has still not disclosed how it is evaluating alternatives.

6.5 out of 18 points
Transparency: Demonstrates a commitment to transparency and public disclosure
At the end of 2018, Albertsons had labeled private-label packaging with “BPA Free” and “Non-BPA Lining” disclosure logos, and the retailer also reported utilizing the SmartLabel program to share information about ingredients in products.
The company does not appear to further encourage or require suppliers to publicly disclose ingredients in products online or on product packaging.

0 out of 7.5 points
Chemical Footprint: Evaluates its chemical footprint

3.75 out of 8.5 points
Third-party Standards: Promotes credible third party standards for safer products
Extra Credit:

0 out of 5 points
Joint Announcement: Public commitment demonstrated through joint announcement

5 out of 15 points
Continuous Improvement: Shows continuous improvement by steadily expanding safer chemicals policy

2.5 out of 5 points
Safer Products: Program to promote safer products in stores and/or on website

2.5 out of 5 points
Collaboration: Actively participates in collaborative process to promote safer chemicals

0 out of 5 points
Impact Investment: Investing financial resources into independent research into safer alternatives and/or green chemistry solutions