Beauty
Report: Target & Rite Aid Commit To Screening Black Beauty Products For Toxic Chemicals
Target and Rite Aid have committed to screening out products marketed to Black women that continue high levels of toxic chemicals, according to a new report by Mind The Store Campaign.
It’s no secret that products marketed to Black women — particularly those not made by Black women — are the most toxic and least tested on the market. Report after report shows that these toxic chemicals wreak havoc on our bodies, causing early onset puberty, spontaneous miscarriage, respiratory issues and even cancer.
However, many don’t know what to avoid when shopping the beauty aisle. For the past five years, Mind The Store has released report detailing retailer actions to eliminate toxic chemicals in products that line their shelves. This year’s report added criteria challenging the 50 retail chain with more than 200,000 stores in the U.S. and Canada to address justice and health inequities.
While nearly 70% of companies surveyed having better chemical safety programs now compared to their first evaluation dating as far back as 2016, products marketed to Black women continue to be of concern.
According to a press release, “Target and Rite Aid will specifically screen for toxic chemicals that are often found in these products, such as skin lightening cream and hair straighteners and relaxers.” In addition, Whole Foods Market has banned product with such chemicals as hydroquinone in them.
“We applaud Target and Rite Aid for taking a leadership role in pledging to screen for toxic chemicals that are often found in beauty products marketed to women, and we hope that other retailers will follow their example,” said Taylor Morton, director of environmental health and education at WE ACT for Environmental Justice. “Research shows that women of color have higher levels of toxic chemicals related to beauty products in their bodies, and this is linked to higher incidences of cancer, poor infant and maternal health outcomes, learning disabilities, obesity, asthma, and other serious health concerns. Reducing exposure to toxic chemicals in beauty and other personal care products will help address this critical but often overlooked environmental justice issue that contributes to the disproportionately higher cumulative exposure to toxics in communities of color.”
We look forward to hearing about their process and more retailers joining in the discussion.
