Gelson’s, Nugget Markets Tap ReposiTrak to Ensure Prop 65 Compliance

As the deadline approaches for California’s new and complex Proposition 65 warning requirements, grocery retailers in the Golden State are partnering with food safety and risk management solutions provider ReposiTrak Inc. to ensure their compliance with state regulations.

Encino, Calif.-based Gelson’s Markets and Woodland, Calif.-based Nugget Markets are deploying the ReposiTrak Compliance & Risk Management Solution to automate compliance and documentation at corporate, facility and item levels. Designed to streamline retailers’ supplier approval process, the platform will help to eliminate time-consuming paperwork and protect the retailers’ businesses from incurring Proposition 65 violations.

Formally known as The Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, California’s Proposition 65 requires businesses with 10 or more employees—including manufacturers, producers, packagers, importers, suppliers and distributors—to provide “clear and reasonable” warnings when they expose anyone to a chemical known to the state to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.

New regulations to Proposition 65 will take effect Aug. 30, including the requirement that warnings for consumer products must state that the product “can expose you to” a state-listed chemical, rather than previously stating that the product “contains” a chemical. The labels must also contain the word “warning” in all capital letters and bold print and include the name of at least one chemical that the warning is for.

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“We needed a way to ensure that we’re prepared to fully comply with the new Prop 65 requirements as well as validate that our suppliers are meeting our food safety and quality compliance requirements,” Hee-Sook Nelson, VP of team development and public affairs for Gelson’s Markets, said in a statement. “We see great value in ReposiTrak, which works with many California retailers and suppliers to safeguard against Prop 65 exposure, and combined with their easy-to-use, market leading solution, made them the clear choice for our compliance management needs.”

The state of California is required to publish the list of harmful chemicals, which is administered by the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) and updated yearly. The list now includes about 900 chemicals.

ReposiTrak’s Compliance & Risk Management suite has more than 250,000 connection points in the supply chain and endorsements from leading trade groups—including Food Marketing Institute, Retailer Owned Food Distributors & Associates and Global Market Development Center—enabling retailers to confirm that suppliers are meeting these requirements.

“Nugget Markets is using ReposiTrak to protect its business from Prop 65 risk and optimize its supplier approval program,” said Randy Fields, chairman and CEO of ReposiTrak. “Our industry leading solution is designed to not only shield businesses from brand, financial and regulatory risk, but to also keep consumers safe through better food management and compliance technologies. In doing so, we provide companies with a better way to run their supply chains and focus on growing their businesses.”

Compliance & Risk Management is a part of ReposiTrak’s Speed Retail Platform, which is designed to drive growth and support for supply and demand chain activities for retailers and their trading partners. The three-part technology platform also includes Supply Chain Solutions and MarketPlace Sourcing and B2B Commerce.

“Food safety compliance is a top priority for Nugget Markets,” Tyler Smith, safety and compliance specialist for Nugget Markets, said in a statement. “We work hard every day to protect our brand and, more importantly, protect our consumers.”