Whole Foods Market Introduces Eco-Scale Rating System

AUSTIN, Texas (April 21, 2011) - Whole Foods Market today introduces its Eco-Scale Rating System - an industry-first set of tiered, green household cleaning standards - to help shoppers make smarter, greener choices for their homes and the planet.

Whole Foods Market is the first national retailer to provide its own comprehensive, color-coded rating system for household cleaners. Under the new evaluation system, products will be rated-red, orange, yellow or green-based on the specific set of environmental and sourcing standards each product meets. The company is committed to working with vendors to evaluate and independently audit every product in its cleaning category. Each product will be required to meet - at the very minimum - the new baseline orange standard by Earth Day, 2012. Red-rated products do not meet the Eco-Scale standards and will not be sold at Whole Foods Market.

Currently, the U.S. government does not mandate full disclosure of ingredients on cleaning products. Under the Eco-Scale Rating System, Whole Foods Market's household cleaning vendors will be required to list every single ingredient on product packaging. To ensure compliance of the company's strict standards, all products will be audited through an independent third-party for verification before they are color-rated and labeled on shelves.

"Shoppers have a right to know what's actually in the products they use to clean their homes," said Jim Speirs, global vice president of procurement for Whole Foods Market. "We've always carefully monitored ingredients. Now, with Eco-Scale, we're able to help shoppers buy eco-friendly products with confidence and provide safer alternatives for their households and for the planet as a whole."

Almost three out of four (73 percent) adults falsely believe that the government requires household cleaning products to provide a list of ingredients on the label, according to a Whole Foods Market survey* conducted online  in April among 2,483 U.S. adults aged 18 on its behalf by Harris Interactive. Another two-thirds (64 percent) believe that many household cleaning brands opt to disclose the full list of ingredients on packaging, when, in fact, few provide this information on product labels.

The survey also confirmed that many adults understand that there are risks involved with common household cleaning products. When asked if they agree or disagree that common household cleaning products are not harmful to the environment, two-thirds (66%) disagreed. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the chemicals found in some cleaning products can cause health problems, including eye, nose, and throat irritation, as well as headaches. Using green cleaning products and practices may avoid these health effects.

"With Eco-Scale, we'll be able to offer more solutions for eco-conscious shoppers, and those with sensitive skin and allergy concerns who often reach for natural cleaners first," said Speirs. "Now parents and pet owners can also rest assured that they know exactly what ingredients they are using in the company of their loved ones."

Several national cleaning products have already been rated - from liquid laundry detergent and fabric softener to all purpose, glass and toilet bowl cleaners. The lineup includes 14 of Whole Foods Market's store brand cleaning products, as well as a total of 34 products from natural cleaning brands Better for Life, Ecover, Greenshield and Method.

Shoppers will ultimately, be able to easily identify products' environmental impact and safety based on the red-orange-yellow-green color scale. The orange rating represents the baseline of acceptable standards that the yellow and green standards build on, with green labeled products topping the tier.