Albertsons

Policy:Adopted a retailer safer chemicals policy

8.75 out of 23.5 points

Since 2017, Albertsons has had a public safer chemicals policy applicable to all locations it operates, 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 BRSL, including requirements to be free from parabens, phthalates, and triclosan. Since the BPA policy only applies to one chemical, we have awarded partial credit towards a packaging BRSL. The retailer also certifies a number of private-label products to EPA Safer Choice.

Albertsons has additional voluntary guidelines encouraging its suppliers to “limit the use of all non-essential chemicals, including those in California’s Proposition 65 and pesticides of concern for pollinator health” and note that additional requirements apply to its private-label organic lines. However, these efforts are not scored since they do not meet our definition of policies.

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), nor a beyond restricted material list (BRML) for plastics of environmental health concern (PEHC). The company’s policy does not appear to apply to beauty products of environmental justice concern (BPEJC).

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Oversight: Established management responsibilities and incentives

2.5 out of 5 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.

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Accountability: Ensures supply chain accountability

3.75 out of 15 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. The retailer informed us that these efforts include efforts to ensure compliance with its safer chemicals policy, not just adhearance to regulatory standards, and that it requires outside testing “as needed.” We recognize this effort with credit for training its suppliers, and partial credit towards third-party testing since it is only done “as needed,” rather than as part of a routine practice. It is unclear to what extent their supplier adherence is contractually mandated.

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

10.5 out of 26 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. Previously, in 2017 Albertsons stated 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. We have awarded six points for the quantified work to address BPA in a major product category, while recognizing the PFAS reduction in the bakery with partial credit since it is a relatively minor group of products.

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Safer Alternatives: Evaluates safer alternatives, avoids regrettable substitutes

3.25 out of 16 points

Albertsons’s policy encourages suppliers to avoid regrettable substitutions. Although it does not directly reference a methodology, for its private-label products, Albertsons has demonstrated a commitment to utilizing the EPA Safer Choice certification. We therefore award it partial credit towards promoting a substitution with a Safer Choice ingredient.

However, it is also notable that while 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.

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Transparency: Demonstrates a commitment to transparency and public disclosure

6.25 out of 20 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 available. We have awarded partial credit for the disclosure of the limited list.

Albertsons does not appear to encourage or require suppliers to publicly disclose ingredients in products online or on product packaging going beyond regulatory compliance.

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

3.75 out of 8.5 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.

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