Subsidiaries of Sobeys
- Foodland
- FreshCo
- IGA
- IGA extra
- Lawtons Drugs
- Les Marchés Tradition
- Marché Bonichoix
- Needs
- Rachelle-Béry
- Safeway
- Thrifty Foods
Key Findings
- Sobeys reported eliminating Styrofoam plastic packaging, a plastic of environmental health concern (PEHC), for mini cucumbers sold in its stores during the 2020 fiscal year.
- Despite substantial public attention to toxic indirect food additives including PFAS, phthalates, and bisphenols, and to toxic chemicals in other products as well as to plastics of environmental health concern, there is no indication that Sobeys is taking substantial action to address these challenges.
Recommendations for Sobeys
- Sobeys can make progress by developing a public written safer chemicals policy, developing and enforcing a public beyond restricted substance list (BRSL), and setting public quantifiable goals with clear timelines for reducing and eliminating chemicals of high concern (CHCs) and/or plastics of environmental health concern (PEHCs), starting but not exclusively with its product line Compliments.
- We urge the company to eliminate and safely replace any toxic indirect food additives that may be in food contact materials, with special attention to any bisphenols and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that may be in food packaging and other food contact materials as well as any phthalates that may be in food and food contact materials in its supply chain. The company should also eliminate plastics of environmental health concern (PEHCs) from its product and packaging materials and remove any and all bisphenols, including BPA and BPS, from thermal paper receipts. Sobeys should publicly disclose the alternatives used to replace CHCs or PEHCs after eliminating them.
- The company should become a signatory to the Chemical Footprint Project and pilot it with key private label suppliers. Sobeys should also require that fragrance ingredients be disclosed online or on the label of personal care and cleaning products and should take steps to ensure supply chain accountability.
Grade History
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How does Sobeys compare to its competitors?
Analysis of Sobeys
Oversight: Established management responsibilities and incentives
Disclosure: Requires suppliers to report use of chemicals in products to retailer
Action: Reduced or eliminated chemicals of high concern (CHCs) or plastics of environmental health concern (PEHCs) within the last three years
Safer Alternatives: Evaluates safer alternatives, avoids regrettable substitutes
Transparency: Demonstrates a commitment to transparency and public disclosure
Third-party Standards: Promotes credible third-party standards for safer products
Extra Credit:
Joint Announcement: Public commitment demonstrated through joint announcement
Continuous Improvement: Shows continuous improvement by steadily expanding safer chemicals policy
Collaboration: Actively participates in collaborative process to promote safer chemicals
Impact Investment: Investing financial resources into independent research into safer alternatives and/or green chemistry solutions