CAMDEN, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Campbell Soup Company (NYSE:CPB) today disclosed its plan to complete a transition to cans which do not use Bisphenol A (BPA) linings by the middle of 2017. The company began using cans with linings made from acrylic or polyester materials in March 2016 and will continue to introduce the new linings across its U.S. and Canadian portfolio through 2017.
Campbell first announced its intention to move away from BPA linings in February 2012, in response to consumer feedback. Since then, Campbell has tested hundreds of alternatives. As the company has stated previously, the transition faced a number of technical challenges. This included identifying linings that would ensure the safety of more than 600 different recipes, such as its tomato-based products, which are naturally acidic and can react with some linings over time.
“Our priority throughout this transition has been, and will continue to be, food safety,” said Mike Mulshine, Senior Program Manager, Packaging. “We have tested and conducted trials with hundreds of alternatives to BPA lining and believe the acrylic and polyester options will ensure our food remains safe, affordable and tastes great.”
The products that will be packaged in non-BPA lined cans include all varieties of Campbell’s soups and gravies, Swanson broth and SpaghettiOs pasta. The company is on track to have 75 percent of its soup portfolio in non-BPA lined cans by December 2016. The company is also currently testing alternatives to BPA coatings used on other packaging, including aluminum cans used for V8 beverages and metal screw top lids on glass jars. The company is on track to transition these products to a non-BPA solution by the middle of 2017.
Campbell also offers a wide range of products in packaging which currently does not use BPA, including cartons, pouches and PET bottles.
Over the past year, Campbell has taken action to provide consumers with more information about how its products are made, including packaging and the use of BPA linings, through channels such as www.whatsinmyfood.com.
BPA has been widely used in metal food packaging for more than 40 years and is one of the safest packaging options in the world. This is confirmed by extensive scientific studies and regulations put in place by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and many international regulatory agencies.
More information about the rationale behind Campbell’s decision can be found on Campbell’s newsroom.
About Campbell Soup Company
Campbell (NYSE:CPB) is driven and inspired by our Purpose, “Real food that matters for life’s moments.” We make a range of high-quality soups and simple meals, beverages, snacks and packaged fresh foods. For generations, people have trusted Campbell to provide authentic, flavorful and readily available foods and beverages that connect them to each other, to warm memories and to what’s important today. Led by our iconic Campbell’s brand, our portfolio includes Pepperidge Farm, Bolthouse Farms, Arnott’s, V8, Swanson, Pace, Prego, Plum, Royal Dansk, Kjeldsens and Garden Fresh Gourmet. Founded in 1869, Campbell has a heritage of giving back and acting as a good steward of the planet’s natural resources. The company is a member of the Standard & Poor’s 500 and the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes. For more information, visit www.campbellsoupcompany.com or follow company news on Twitter via @CampbellSoupCo. To learn more about how we make our food and the choices behind the ingredients we use, visit www.whatsinmyfood.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains “forward-looking statements” that reflect the company’s current expectations about the impact of its future plans and performance on the company’s business or financial results. These forward-looking statements, rely on a number of assumptions and estimates that could be inaccurate and which are subject to risks and uncertainties. The factors that could cause the company’s actual results to vary materially from those anticipated or expressed in any forward-looking statement include (1) the company’s ability to manage organizational change effectively; (2) the company’s ability to realize projected cost savings and benefits from its efficiency programs; (3) the impact of strong competitive responses to the company’s efforts to leverage its brand power in the market; (4) the impact of changes in consumer demand for the company’s products; (5) the risks associated with trade and consumer acceptance of the company’s initiatives, including its trade and promotional programs; (6) the practices, including changes to inventory practices, and increased significance of certain of the company’s key trade customers; (7) the impact of fluctuations in the supply or costs of energy and raw and packaging materials; (8) the impact of portfolio changes; (9) the uncertainties of litigation; (10) the impact of changes in currency exchange rates, tax rates, interest rates, debt and equity markets, inflation rates, economic conditions and other external factors; (11) the impact of unforeseen business disruptions in one or more of the company’s markets due to political instability, civil disobedience, armed hostilities, natural disasters or other calamities; and (12) other factors described in the company’s most recent Form 10-K and subsequent Securities and Exchange Commission filings. The company disclaims any obligation or intent to update the forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release.
