How do Albertsons and Safeway rank on toxic chemicals?

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

Explanation of Points

Since 2017, Albertsons has had a public safer chemicals policy, which applies to some of its private-label products, as well as a related policy on bisphenol A (BPA), which applies to the packaging of all its private-label products, moving towards a 100% elimination of BPA. All of its private-label baby products, which we consider to be a major product category, have a limited BRSL, including requirements to be free from parabens, phthalates, and triclosan. The retailer also certifies a number of private-label products to EPA Safer Choice.

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

Explanation of Points

Albertsons informed us that a corporate manager has some responsibility for product safety related to chemical hazards in products, and a larger committee with executive involvement is addressing safer chemicals policy issues.

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

Explanation of Points

Albertsons notes that “We require suppliers to adhere to our brand policies…” including its safer chemicals policy, and has described efforts to train its suppliers and test products. It is unclear to what extent the supplier adherance is contractually mandated. It is also unclear to what extent these initiatives are to ensure supplier conformance with its safer chemicals policy as opposed to primarily to ensure compliance with regulatory standards.

0 out of 13 points

Disclosure: Requires suppliers to report use of chemicals in products to retailer

Explanation of Points

Albertsons has not taken any discernible action on suppliers disclosing ingredients to the retailer, going beyond regulatory compliance.

12 out of 16 points

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

Explanation of Points

In 2019, Albertsons worked with its suppliers to eliminate PFAS coatings from some bakery and prepared food packaging (cake plates). Additionally, Albertsons has made significant progress in the last three years in reducing the use of BPA in its private-label brands, noting in 2018 that it “has eliminated BPA from all self-manufactured beverage cans in its OWN Brands portfolio of products,” with “self-manufacturing” representing the majority of its beverage manufacturing plants, but not all of them. That builds on a 2017 statement that “…more than 300 OWN Brands canned goods are now packaged in non-BPA lined cans. This represents more than 80% of our OWN Brands canned offerings. The process will continue until the transition reaches 100%.” The retailer has not provided a more recent update on its work on BPA.

3.25 out of 13.5 points

Safer Alternatives: Evaluates safer alternatives, avoids regrettable substitutes

Explanation of Points

Albertsons sells a number of EPA Safer Choice-certified private-label cleaning products and states: “Our OWN Brands Safer Choice-certified products must adhere to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Safer Chemical Ingredients List.”

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

Explanation of Points

Albertsons’s safer chemicals policy is publicly available. The retailer also provides examples of chemicals restricted for specific categories or labels but does not have a comprehensive BRSL publicly avaialble.

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

Explanation of Points

Albertsons has not made any discernible progress on measuring its chemical footprint via the Chemical Footprint Project.

3.75 out of 8.5 points

Third-party Standards: Promotes credible third party standards for safer products

Explanation of Points

Albertsons sells numerous private-label cleaning and home care products that are EPA Safer Choice-certified. In both 2017 and 2019, Albertsons received a “Partner of the Year” award from EPA for its work in engaging consumers in the Safer Choice Program, especially through social media.

Extra Credit:

0 out of 5 points

Joint Announcement: Public commitment demonstrated through joint announcement

Explanation of Points

Albertsons has not made a discernible public commitment through a joint announcement or other coordination effort in advance of a major announcement within the time periods specified in the scoring rubric.

5 out of 15 points

Continuous Improvement: Shows continuous improvement by steadily expanding safer chemicals policy

Explanation of Points

In the last year, Albertsons took action on PFAS, working with its suppliers to eliminate a PFAS coating from some bakery and prepared food packaging (cake plates), representing a notable new improvement to its policies.

2.5 out of 5 points

Safer Products: Program to promote safer products in stores and/or on website

Explanation of Points

In order to grow the Safer Choice name, the company has promoted the Safer Choice brand with paid promotional content on social media across all its banners. Albertsons noted it worked with social media influencers to get its Open Nature Safer Choice-certified products the most exposure possible, reaching over 10.3 million consumers. Partial credit is awarded because the company does not clearly highlight products certified as Safer Choice on its website.

2.5 out of 5 points

Collaboration: Actively participates in collaborative process to promote safer chemicals

Explanation of Points

Albertsons stated: “We are also early members of EPA Safer Choice Stakeholder Coalition run by the Household & Commercial Products Association (HCPA), which advocates for continued promotion and expansion of the EPA Safer Choice program.” While this industry-driven effort is a step in the right direction, it is not a fully transparent and collaborative effort, and we have awarded half points.

0 out of 5 points

Impact Investment: Investing financial resources into independent research into safer alternatives and/or green chemistry solutions

Explanation of Points

There is no indication that the retailer invests significant financial resources into independent research into safer alternatives to CHCs and/or green chemistry solutions.

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