Loblaw to remove potentially harmful ingredients from key private brand items

Loblaw Companies Ltd., Brampton, Ontario, said that by the end of 2018, Life Brand and President's Choice household, beauty and cosmetic products will no longer be formulated using Triclosan, phthalates or micro beads.

"Emerging science and public opinion suggest a measured move away from some specific ingredients is prudent," said Galen Weston, executive chairman and president, Loblaw. "Working with our scientific advisors, we identified ingredients that may have a negative impact on the environment, or on our customers, and are working to remove them."

Some experts have linked Triclosan and phthalates to human or environmental health concerns, Loblaw noted. Triclosan is common in antibacterial soaps and body washes, toothpastes and some cosmetic products, while phthalates are a group of chemicals used to carry scent in personal care products such as soaps, shampoos, hair sprays and nail polishes, and to make plastics more flexible.

Micro-beads, meanwhile, are commonly used in skin exfoliants, but can wash down drains, slip through water treatment systems, pass into lakes and oceans, and mimic the look of fish eggs — an attractive meal in the food chain.

"Micro beads create a lifecycle issue for our organization," Weston said. "We sell skin care with micro-beads. We sell fish. And, in an odd twist, our beauty products may ultimately impact our commitment to sustainable seafood."

The three ingredients are being removed as a first step of a broader ongoing process. Loblaw said it has worked with scientific advisors Dr. Rick Smith and Bruce Lourie since 2014 to help identify areas in which the company can play a leadership role and focus efforts where they can make the most impact.

"Around the world, scientific evidence is accumulating that these ingredients could be a problem for environmental and human health," Smith, co-author of two best-selling books on the health effects of pollution and toxic chemicals, said. "When a leader like Loblaw puts a stake in the ground on an issue like this, it enables real change. This decision to create an ongoing process that reexamines the ingredients within their supply chain highlights their commitment to protecting the health of consumers and the environment."