Trader Joe’s is failing to publicly address toxic chemicals in the products it sells. With a letter grade of F, Trader Joe’s was one of eight retailers (out of 30) in our review to score zero points, with no significant public-facing commitments to address the safety of chemicals used in its private brands or in the other products it sells. The company reports on its website which of its products have BPA-free packaging, but this does not appear to be connected with an official policy and Trader Joe’s doesn’t specify the alternative used in place of BPA on its website. This is in contrast to other environmental and social responsibility concerns, for which Trader Joe’s has clear policies.
Opportunities for improvement: Trader Joe’s can make progress by developing a public written safer chemicals policy, developing and enforcing a public restricted chemicals list in key product categories, setting public quantifiable goals with clear timelines for reducing and eliminating chemicals of high concern, and completely eliminating and safely substituting BPA and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food packaging and phthalates in food. Trader Joe’s should become a signatory to the Chemical Footprint Project and pilot it with key private label suppliers.
Summary of Trader Joe’s Grade
0 out of 15 points
Policy: Adopted a retailer safer chemicals policy
Despite not having a safer chemicals policy as described above, Trader Joe’s discusses other environmental/health policies in the Product Information FAQs on its website. For example: in its private label products, the company prohibits artificial flavors, artificial preservatives (with a few exceptions), and colors that are chemically manufactured or processed; Trader Joe’s is committed to ensuring its seafood purchases are from sustainable sources; and the company’s private label products are sourced from non-GMO ingredients.
0 out of 10 points
Oversight: Established management responsibilities and incentives
0 out of 10 points
Accountability: Ensures supply chain accountability
0 out of 10 points
Disclosure: Requires suppliers to report use of chemicals in products to retailer
0 out of 15 points
Action: Reduced or eliminated chemicals of high concern within the last three years
TJ’s specifies which private-label product packaging doesn’t contain BPA and some other chemicals, but does not indicate when these changes took place. The company also indicates certain private-label products are free of chemicals like parabens and phthalates but does not indicate whether this represents a “reduction” in chemical use.
0 out of 10 points
Safer Alternatives: Evaluates safer alternatives, avoids regrettable substitutes
TJ’s does not specify what they’ve moved to in place of BPA for some packaging (although the 2016 report “BPA Buyer Beware” found that out of the cans tested, alternative liners were mostly polyester resin and a few PVC co-polymer materials).
0 out of 15 points
Transparency: Demonstrates a commitment to transparency and public disclosure
Trader Joe’s does not appear to encourage or require the disclosure of ingredients in products sold online or on product packaging or publicly disclose the identity of articles or formulated products that are free of chemicals of high concern going beyond regulatory compliance.
The company does disclose which products have packaging that is BPA-free, but this does not appear to be connected with any formal policy.
0 out of 7.5 points
Chemical Footprint: Evaluates its chemical footprint
0 out of 7.5 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
0 out of 15 points
Continuous Improvement: Shows continuous improvement by steadily expanding safer chemicals policy
0 out of 5 points
Safer Products: Program to promote safer products in stores and/or on website
They do highlight which products have BPA-free packaging under Product FAQs on their website, but this doesn’t amount to a program.
0 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