Tesco pledges to tackle chemicals in clothing supply chain

TESCO has joined a growing list of major high street retailers in beginning to remove chemicals thought to be hazardous from the supply chain of its clothing brand.

Greenpeace said Tesco will immediately begin the process of eliminating 11 groups of hazardous substances from its F&F brand, including phthalates, brominated and chlorinated flame retardants, chlorinated solvents and heavy metals.

The environmental group said the supermarket giant’s commitment went beyond chemicals already banned by EU regulations and took a precautionary principle, eliminating those thought to be harmful but not necessarily backed by evidence.

Some 80 international brands and suppliers have now committed to the Greenpeace Detox Campaign since it began in 2011, including Marks & Spencer, H&M, Benetton, Levi Strauss, Aldi, Lidl and Tchibo.

Alan Wragg, technical director for clothing at Tesco, said: “Our Responsible Sourcing Team has been working with Greenpeace to align all our textile products with the Detox commitment, starting with clothing and footwear, and we’ve compiled a list of restricted substances to help guide our suppliers.

“This commitment is part of our goal to protect the environment by sourcing products sustainably and responsibly for our customers.”