Best Buy

Supply Chain Disclosure

Best Buy has taken some actions toward requiring suppliers to disclose ingredients/chemicals in their policies beyond regulatory compliance. Best Buy requires disclosure of all generic material content for all private-label articles.

The company shared that it has “adopted the CEPN’s Process Chemical Data Collection (PCDC) template and have surveyed all our suppliers using this tool. We shared results from key suppliers with RBA so that they, along with the CEPN, can begin to assess the landscape of processing chemicals across the electronics industry. This transparency directly contributed to the development of a prioritized list of chemicals targeted for substitutions for the electronics industry….”

Supplier Accountability

Best Buy delineates requirements associated with its safer chemicals management policy. Best Buy offers annual training to help private-label suppliers’ factories improve their chemical management processes, including understanding risks and the importance of taking proper precautions. However, it does not require suppliers to test, or for the retailer to routinely test, all recycled materials for chemicals of high concern (CHCs).

Consumer Disclosure

Best Buy promotes EPEAT-certified products to consumers, which do not contain certain chemicals of high concern (CHCs) and plastics of high concern (PHCs).

Otherwise, Best Buy does not appear to encourage or require suppliers to publicly disclose ingredients in products online or on product packaging beyond regulatory compliance.

Restricted Substances List (RSL)/Manufacturing Restricted Substances List (MRSL)

Best Buy has restricted a number of chemicals of high concern (CHCs) including short-chain chlorinated paraffins and various heavy metals in private-brand products, bisphenols in receipt paper, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) gift cards.

Reduction/Elimination Goals

Best Buy has set a goal to eliminate organohalogen flame retardants (OFRs) in the plastic enclosures of private-label TVs by 2025.

Chemicals and Plastics Reduction

Best Buy was the first major U.S. retailer to restrict organohalogen flame retardants (OFRs) in the electronic casings of its private-label televisions. The company announced display enclosures and stands of all newly designed models of Best Buy’s Exclusive Brand televisions will no longer contain OFRs beginning in 2022. Currently, any Insignia televisions with the number 23 at the end of the model number does not contain OFRs. The company plans to complete this transition by the end of 2025.

Best Buy has identified 41 supplier factories using chemicals on its manufacturing restricted substance list (MRSL), and of those, 15
factories have since removed the restricted chemicals from the manufacturing process. The company continues to work with the other 26 suppliers to address the chemicals on its MRSL.

Implementation of Safer Solutions

Best Buy has redesigned its Own Brand televisions to implement solutions to organohalogen flame retardants (OFRs). The company worked with its suppliers to evaluate the alternatives utilizing the GreenScreen chemical hazard assessment framework. The company has ensured the replacement flame retardants are not in the highest hazard category under GreenScreen, and its substitute meets and exceeds this goal with a flame retardant currently designated under GreenScreen as Benchmark 3 (not ranked high for any hazards).