Retailers have a moral responsibility to provide safe products and packaging to their customers. It is not right for workers in manufacturing, as well as surrounding communities and the environment, to be put at risk by continued use of hazardous chemicals in consumer goods.
Unsafe chemicals like flame retardants, PFAS, and phthalates are in consumer goods because state and federal laws are not currently strong enough to keep them off the market. While we continue to advocate for stronger laws that reflect our values, Earth Ministry is also working on marked-based transformation as part of the national “Mind the Store” campaign led by Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families.
Across the country, consumers are challenging major retailers to eliminate toxic chemicals in products and packaging and develop comprehensive safe chemical policies. Together with broad coalition partners, people of faith are asking that retailers “mind the store” and adopt a transparent approach to providing safe and healthy products.
Major strides have been made since the Mind the Store campaign launched in 2013. Northwest companies like Costco and Amazon have responded well to consumer demand for chemical safety. Yet many companies are still receiving a failing grade on the Mind the Store Retailer Report Card. Join us to put your faith in action as we continue to keep the pressure on retailers to do what’s right by phasing out toxic chemicals.
Mind the Store 2019
We share a vision for a healthy, sustainable marketplace, and people of faith are helping to make that vision a reality. The 2019 Who’s Minding the Store? retailer report card was recently released, grading companies on their leadership around increased chemical safety. The good news is that many companies are doing good work to clean up their products, including Apple (A+), Target (A), Walmart (A), and IKEA (A-).
Unfortunately, some Northwest companies are not keeping up. Starbucks and Nordstrom both received failing grades for their lack of public action to address toxic chemicals in products and packaging. Their F grade calls for swift reform. The top scoring Washington-based retailer is Whole Foods Market (B+), which did take meaningful action on reducing toxic PFAS chemicals in the last year.
Customer feedback is a powerful force for marketplace transformation. The Earth Ministry community is putting faith into action by asking retailers for products and packaging that protect human health and ensure a clean environment.
Mind the Store News & Events
Ask Costco to “Mind the Store”
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