Grocery stores could learn a lot from Trader Joe’s. As the mother of a teenager with food allergies, I deeply appreciate the ease Trader Joe’s provides in our weekly grocery shopping. Their approach is simple yet profoundly impactful: they have a real person available to check if a food is safe for those with allergies.
For families like mine, this service is invaluable. For over 14 years, I’ve meticulously read food labels to ensure I don’t bring home anything that could harm my son, Gus. Despite my diligence, the process is not foolproof due to the limitations of food labeling laws. In the United States, packaged foods must list any of the top nine allergens if they are contained in the product. However, there’s a crucial difference between “contains” and “contact with.” A product might not contain allergens, but it could be produced on shared manufacturing lines, posing a risk of cross-contamination.
In most grocery stores, we’re left guessing about new products. My husband and I often follow up with calls and emails to food companies, trying to determine if there’s a risk. Unfortunately, these companies frequently respond with vague, lawyer-approved statements like, “We know food allergies are important to our consumers. We want to reassure you we take them seriously. Let us know if we can help further.” What we need is a straightforward answer about whether specific products are safe.
Trader Joe’s stands out by offering a personalized service. When you call, a representative will check if a product, like frozen spanakopita or a bag of farro, is made in a factory or on lines that also process allergens. A typical call goes like this: “Hi, my son has nut allergies. Can you tell me if your random frozen treat is made on the same lines as any tree nuts or peanuts?” After providing a SKU number and a brief hold, the representative returns with a clear answer, such as, “There are tree nuts on the lines.” If I need more details, they’ll specify which nuts, allowing me to make an informed decision.
Costco has recently implemented a similar service for their Kirkland line. You can call customer service to inquire if a product is made in a shared factory or on shared lines with your specific allergen, be it soy, shellfish, sesame, or any of the top nine. Although there might be a wait time, the clear answers provided are immensely helpful. For example, a Costco representative once researched my query and called back the next day with the information I needed.
These experiences highlight how other grocery stores could improve. One major step would be to stop rearranging their aisles. For families managing food allergies, aisle changes can be confusing and stressful. If a familiar safe product is suddenly relocated among “natural snacks,” which often include potentially unsafe indie brands, it complicates the shopping process and increases the risk of accidental exposure.
In an ideal world, technology would enhance safety for families dealing with food allergies. Imagine signing up for a grocery store’s discount card, which would then flag unsafe products during checkout, similar to how CVS alerts for drug interactions. This feature could be disabled for a quicker shopping experience if desired. Additionally, a pre-shopping online tool to check products for contamination risks would be highly beneficial.
Until such solutions are widely adopted, our strategy involves sticking to trusted products, though this is not foolproof as brands may change production facilities, necessitating constant re-verification. For new foods, we rely on Trader Joe’s and Costco. With food allergies, the array of “can’t haves” can make the world feel small. Yet, being able to safely try new items like dried mango or mini tacos is a significant relief, ensuring that my son’s food is safe and giving us peace of mind.
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