A. I wonder if stores are getting stricter due to Salmonella outbreaks, and other recent health issues.  They don't want to be sued and there are a number of ways they could open themselves up for that.   I can imagine they will create a mandated store policy not to allow this "cross contamination" (thats what its called in food sanitation terms) as the issue gets more well known and public. 

The question is then, what can we all do to enact change?  Perhaps the change will have to be in baby steps, or settling for WF dispensing folding biodegradable paper containers...made waterproof by a natural, non plastic substance. We NEED to make it public loud and clear though...regardless of why they won't allow it, they have a DUTY to figure it out because they call themselves "a green company," right?

B. I think they also do not want to be dealing with broken glass (it happens in grocery stores...I once worked in one) , and to sterilize containers "on site" would take thousands of dollars in retrofitting.  Maybe hundreds of thousands.  At least with Oberweiss the glass bottles are collected somewhere and taken away to the plant that will sterilize them. They are uniform in size, and big/heavy enough to not break.  Smaller bulk food containers would be much more difficult to stack, package, and where would they go to be sterilized?

At the least, and safest, paper containers might be an alternate solution, should it become mandated by law everywhere NOT to allow bringing one's own containers into a store.  Why aren't biodegradable waterproof coatings being made for paper and cardboard packaging?  Because the research funding is always in creating new and different plastics. Sad.

"“Chapter 4-603.17: Returnables, Cleaning for Refilling. . . . returned empty containers intended for cleaning and refilling with FOOD shall be cleaned and refilled in a regulated FOOD PROCESSING PLANT.” It prohibits grocery stores, coops, and other food institutions from doing what the Good Food Store does: sterilize reusable containers for their customers to, um, actually reuse."

I don't think this is the same thing as customers bringing their own containers to fill themselves with food for themselves.  It says "returned empty containers intended for cleaning and refilling with FOOD..."  That sounds like a returnable milk bottle that is sent back to the dairy, for example.  But not your own container meant to be reused by yourself.  You know?

I need to look at the actual code chapter and see what else it says, but I don't have time right at this moment.

http://daily.sightline.org/201.....ckle-jars/

For more information on the topic.  Seemed a well researched article.

I'll certainly post any reply I get.

I want the Whole Foods policy that prohibits using a customer container for bulk foods to be reversed, and for Whole Foods to not only support this practice, but to encourage it.

This is in line with your company’s “Green Mission.”  The first "R" of the three R's is "reduce.”  The use of customer containers for bulk foods is therefore in accord with your core values.  Disposable one-use paper and plastic products are typically down-cycled, not recycled and eventually end up in the landfill anyway.  Furthermore, there are health concerns with plastic, which most packaging (even paper packaging) contains. 

The sign in your store cites an unspecified FDA regulation.  I have not thoroughly researched this, but I did see some internet posts questioning this.  Can you please cite the exact regulation so that we can work to get it modified?  Also, if there are any lower government concerns about this practice for the Schaumburg, IL location, please cite those as well so that we can lobby to get this changed. 

One alternative you may wish to consider is implementing something like milk companies do (including Oberweis Dairy, which you sell in your Schaumburg store).  You could provide standard containers made of plastic-free glass or stainless steel to use for bulk foods and charge a deposit for them. (Oberweiss bottles are $1.50.)  You would then accept these containers from customers and refund the deposit.  You would sterilize these containers on-site and make them available to the next customer.

Today, after reading your chapter on grocery shopping, I went on an expedition to whole foods, to understand better what was available in the bulk foods department.   Imagine my disappointment when I saw the sign saying we had to use their containers due to "FDA regulations".

I did speak with their customer service representative, but he wasn't very helpful.  I want to figure out what we need to do in order to get this policy reversed.  I don't really even know where to begin!  From the messages above, it seems more of a local issue than a federal one, despite the signage.

I was shopping at the Schaumburg, IL location.

Roger

This definitely deserves more research because why would my TX WFs have no problem with containers but VA's does?

Add to this that I live in MA, so NH poloticians don't really care what I think.  There are no real stores in the town where I live (a couple convenience stores, one microscopic supermarket, and the farm stands where we're OK), so municipal politicians don't really care what I think.  I will contact whatever regulating body the stores refer me to for clarification, though.