Tell Kroger to Phase Out Bisphenols in Receipt Paper!

New research finds that the hormone-altering chemical BPA (bisphenol A), a chemical used in the thermal receipt paper many retailers use, can be absorbed into the skin much more than previously thought. Subjects who touched receipts after using hand sanitizer had up to 185 times more BPA on their hands as subjects with dry hands, and after the exposure, BPA in the blood reached levels previously linked to increased risks of diabetes and heart disease.

While Kroger claims it's phased out BPA from its stores, a 2014 report found that traces of the chemical were still present in receipt samples from some of the grocer's locations. Even worse, research has also found that bisphenol-S, the "BPA-free" alternative that Kroger and many other retailers have adopted, has similar effects on the human body. There are alternatives on the market based on harmless compounds such as vitamin C, and these should be adopted instead of BPS-based receipts.

This exposure to bisphenols is bad enough for customers who handle receipts after a sale, but it is especially worrisome for cashiers who touch receipts all day long. It is even more troubling for cashiers who innocently break down their skin barrier with hand sanitizers, soaps, lotions, and sunscreen. In jobs such as food service, this can't be avoided.

Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Walmart, and other retailers are already moving toward safer receipt paper. Please sign the petition to urge Kroger -- the retail giant that owns Giant, Quik Stop, Turkey Hill, and dozens of other stores -- to switch to a safe, bisphenol-free receipt paper!

Customers and cashiers alike deserve better! Though we appreciate Kroger's steps toward eliminating BPA in its receipts, the company needs to take steps to eliminate bisphenols completely from its receipts, as well as ensuring that all of the chain's locations comply with the new policy.