Albertsons wins 4th environmental award for own brand products
For the fourth time, Albertsons has received a high honor for helping keep the world cleaner. The company, which operates over 20 grocery banners in 34 states, was awarded the Safer Choice Partner of the Year Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its products that use safe chemicals, including from its private label.
Albertsons was recognized in the “Retailer” category for launching new Safer Choice-certified Own Brands products, raising awareness of the Safer Choice certification and helping to identify opportunities for educating consumers to make informed buying decisions. The award was first launched by EPA in 2015, and Albertsons has now received the award four times in six years.
“Our Own Brands team continues to innovate products that are safer for people and the environment,” said Chad Coester, SVP of Albertsons Companies’ Own Brands. “In 2020, we received Safer Choice Certification on a new product category — laundry detergents. We now have six Open Nature laundry detergent products that meet the Safer Choice criteria.”
Shoppers at Vons, Safeway, Albertsons and more can identify products made with chemicals that are safer for human health and the environment by the Safer Choice label that appears on the product. This label means the EPA has evaluated the product’s ingredients and determined they meet the necessary criteria. Albertsons’ 2,277 stores offer a wide variety of Safer Choice-certified products, including Open Nature glass cleaners and laundry detergents that are exclusive to Albertsons Companies’ stores.
The company’s exclusive Open Nature line was introduced in 2011 and offers products that are free from 110 additives with no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. Open Nature offers 600 items throughout the store in multiple categories, including meat, seafood, meal ingredients, and snacks, as well as care items for home, baby, pet, and personal care for consumers looking for minimally processed products that are better for their family, pets, and the environment.
“Ensuring our products are better for people and the planet is an important priority for Albertsons,” said Darcie Renn, director of ESG & sustainability at Albertsons. “These products are great examples of how we are implementing sustainability more holistically throughout our decision-making process, whether it’s innovating product formulations, integrating recycled content in packaging, or leveraging standardized recycling communications for our customers.”