VANCOUVER—Canadian grocery store and food retailers need to step up to match their counterparts in other developed nations when it comes to protecting consumers from toxic chemicals in day-to-day products, according to a new report.
What’s more, the authors argue regulations should be put in place to deter companies from using these chemicals in the first place.
The third annual report card — put together by the U.S. non-profit Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families in partnership with Canadian non-profit Environmental Defence — graded the policies and practices of 40 of the largest North American retailers, including grocery stores and fast food establishments.
“They are not prioritizing harmful chemical exposures as a major issue through the products and services they offer. That’s a major gap,” said Muhannad Malas, Environmental Defence’s toxics program manager.
“It’s troubling to see Sobeys, a leading grocery retailer, and Restaurants Brands International (RBI), owner of Tim Hortons and Burger King, receiving an F grade.”
These toxic chemicals include hormone-disrupting bisphenols in food packaging and receipts, as well as phthalates, which are added to plastics to make them more malleable or to make fragrances last longer, he added.
Other popular compounds are added to make products grease, water or stain proof — but they too have toxic properties.
Nearly half of the retailers received an F grade for failing to develop policies or publicly report progress to assess, reduce or eliminate toxic chemicals in the products or packaging they sell, the report found.
By contrast, Loblaw Companies Limited — owner of Loblaws and Shoppers Drug Mart — received a better score, ranking a C grade. The company came out ahead due to removing toxic phthalates and antibacterial triclosan from private label personal care and cleaning products, Malas explained.
But they can take it one step further by removing chemicals from receipts and food packaging materials, the authors said.
These chemicals have been banned in the EU, particularly out of concern for cashiers, Malas noted. Meanwhile, the United States has had strong chemical policies at state and local levels, he added.
For instance, he said, California state law requires “full disclosure” for cleaning products.
Canadian retailers, who on the whole scored poorly, just need look south of the border to companies such as Apple and Target to see that having strong chemical policies has become a pillar of modern corporate social responsibility, Malas said.
And taking action is not only good for consumers and the environment — it’s also good for business, he argued.
“Retailers have an important role to play. They have both the power and the moral responsibility to eliminate and safely replace toxic chemicals,” said Mike Schade, co-author and campaign director for Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families in a release.
“They should stop letting chemical corporations put public health at risk.”
The report recommends companies develop a publicly available chemicals policy and set timelines to replacing harmful chemicals with safer ones.
After receiving a failing grade in 2016, Amazon was among the “most improved” following the announcement of sweeping chemical safety policies in October that helped increase its score to a C.
And while Walmart U.S. ranked in the top three highest scoring retailers, Walmart Canada has not committed to the same policies and ranks far lower. But Malas said the Canadian operation did take action recently, removing products that contain a toxic chemical that is “deadly” and linked to “60 consumer and worker deaths.”
Though Canada has done a “great job” in assessing the risks of chemicals, Malas said, the nation has not done a good job of regulating.
“Fragrance, cleaning and personal care products are exempted from disclosure to Health Canada or the public,” he explained. “What we find is a lot of retailers sell shampoos or cleaners and they don’t actually know what’s in the ingredients.”
The federal government is mandated to evaluate top priority chemicals in terms of human health or environmental concerns, Malas said, and began listing classes of chemicals in 2006 with plans to be completed by 2020 in the Chemicals Management Plan.
And while these chemicals are added to the list, there is no plan to reduce exposure among consumers or workers, he said.
Retailers have a role to play in transforming harmful chemicals, Malas argued.
“Often this is seen as a responsibility of government or chemical manufacturers,” he said. “But they are the point that consumers interact with on a daily basis, so they do have a lot of power in telling suppliers what chemicals they should avoid.”