FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Dave Heylen, V.P. Communications California Grocers Association
Tel: 916.448.3545
Fax: 916.448.2793
E-mail: [email protected]

California Grocers Association
1415 L Street, Suite 450
Sacramento, CA 95814

SACRAMENTO, CA – (August 29, 2010) – The California Grocers Association on Sunday (August 29) called on California state senators to “cut through the rhetoric and misinformation” being pushed by opponents of legislation that would create a uniform, statewide standard for regulating single-use carryout bags.

The Senate will vote this week on Assembly Bill 1998 (D-Brownley) which will ban single-use plastic bags, require stores selling groceries to provide reusable bags for sale or free distribution, and allow the sale of recycled paper bags at cost. The bill has passed the Assembly and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has indicated he will sign it. “

The California Grocers Association strongly supports Assembly Bill 1998 and urges the California Senate to cut through the rhetoric and misinformation being pushed by opponents of the legislation and focus on the real issue – eliminating plastic bags and encouraging reusable bag use,” said Dave Heylen, CGA Vice President of Communications, at a press conference in Los Angeles on Sunday, that included Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Bill author Assembly Member Julia Brownley and representatives from Heal the Bay, California Environment and Homeboy Industries.

Critics had claimed the bill would result in the loss of California jobs, create a financial windfall for grocery retailers and thwart recycling efforts.

“The goal is to move away from a system where all consumers subsidize the considerable costs of singleuse bags to a system where consumers can make the economic choice of whether the convenience of single-use bags is worth the expense,” Heylen said.

The grocery industry originally supported the bill because it levels the playing field by including all retailers selling food items and not just large supermarkets and chain pharmacies. The industry also seeks one statewide, uniform standard and not a patchwork of ordinances regulated by local jurisdictions. “Eliminating plastic bags isn’t a question of ‘if’ but ‘when’,” Heylen said. “Already, several California localities have said they will pass plastic bag bans immediately if AB 1998 fails. More than 70 cities are considering doing the same.”

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The California Grocers Association is a non-profit trade association representing the food industry since 1898. CGA represents approximately 500 retail members operating over 6,000 food stores in California and Nevada, and approximately 200 grocery supplier companies. Retail membership includes chain and independent supermarkets, convenience stores and mass merchandisers.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Dave Heylen, V.P. Communications California Grocers Association
Tel: 916.448.3545
Fax: 916.448.2793
E-mail: [email protected]

California Grocers Association
1415 L Street, Suite 450
Sacramento, CA 95814

Union-backed AB 1060 is a solution in search of a problem.

SACRAMENTO, CA – (August 24, 2010) – The California Grocers Association is urging Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to veto legislation passed Monday in the State Senate that would effectively ban assisted checkout systems in supermarkets.

“Assembly Bill 1060 presents itself as feel good legislation but in reality is about punishing innovation and protecting saving union dues checks,” said CGA President Ronald Fong. “Its target is one non-union grocer which utilizes an assisted checkout system as its primary form of finalizing customer sales.”

The bill would prohibit the sale of alcoholic beverages through assisted checkout systems. It makes the assumption that minors or intoxicated individuals can manipulate the system to illegally obtain alcoholic beverages.

The use of assisted checkout terminals in retail settings does not increase access to alcohol by minors or intoxicated persons, nor does it increase incidents of theft. According to the Senate Government Organization Committee analysis of the bill, “…ABC staff indicates that they have no evidence of any problems associated with minors purchasing alcoholic beverages through self -service checkouts.”

“Current law places a grocer’s alcoholic sales license in jeopardy if inappropriate sales are identified through either the assisted or traditional checkout options,” Fong said. “Losing this license would seriously impact a retailer’s business. No retailer would put themselves in that situation.”

Assisted checkouts contain appropriate safety protocol including the system locking when any age-restricted product is scanned, requiring a clerk to verify age and sobriety, and when even slight variations in weight of product scanned and product bagged are detected.

Grocers also utilize additional means to prevent theft or inappropriate access including security cameras, customer interaction throughout the shopping experience, staff training, strict inventory control protocols and the placement of both products and checkout stations themselves.

“California grocers take seriously their responsibility to ensure that only those individuals legally entitled to purchase alcohol do so in grocery stores,” Fong said. “CGA fully supports efforts of the state’s regulatory agency to enforce existing laws regarding sales of alcohol. We encourage Governor Schwarzenegger to veto this unnecessary legislation.”

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The California Grocers Association is a non-profit trade association representing the food industry since 1898. CGA represents approximately 500 retail members operating over 6,000 food stores in California and Nevada, and approximately 200 grocery supplier companies. Retail membership includes chain and independent supermarkets, convenience stores and mass merchandisers.