Co-op bans chemicals from own-brand products
New drive for social responsibility
The Co-op has dropped some chemicals from its own-brand household products in a drive to further boost its ethical credentials with shoppers.
The chemicals, artificial musks and phthalates, are found mainly in the perfumes of products such as fabric conditioners and have been linked to cancer, fertility problems and environmental damage.
David Croft, brand and technical manager at the Co-op, said: “It is appropriate to take a precautionary approach to try to remove those chemicals from our range, where they exist, and to replace them with more benign alternatives.”
The Co-op believes its stand will be welcomed by customers, heartened by a new poll carried out by NOP which found that 84 per cent of consumers would pay ‘a little extra’ for food that met higher ethical standards, provided the quality was as good. The poll of 30,000 consumers repeats similar research from a decade ago, when the figure was 64 per cent.
Ninety per cent of consumer say they want misleading food labels to be banned, while 80 per cent want retailers to help producers in developing countries. Nine out of 10 also want retailers to make it easier for them to have a healthy diet.
Co-op is also setting up a 10-strong panel of experts to advise it. Chaired by Tim Lang, Professor of Food Policy at City University, the panel brings together expertise in food policy, public health, ethical trading, animal welfare, agricultural sustainability and environmental issues.
Croft said: “Where the panel will come into its own is in helping us to identify and act on issues which challenge the industry view that everything in the garden is rosy.”
