Lululemon athletica inc announced the voluntary withdrawal of certain of its reusable bags, or shoppers, from its stores. This is in the wake of the recent discussion among other retailers over the proper disposal of reusable bags due to lead content. The shoppers are distributed free of charge to Lululeomon customers with their purchases.


Lululemon invited all customers who have received one of the shoppers at issue to return them for a replacement shopper. In addition, any of its “guests” who simply wish to dispose of their shopper may return the shopper to any stores for appropriate disposal.

The decision follows a report by the Tampa Tribune that many shoppers it tested from supermarket chains, including Walmart and Target, contained enough lead to be banned from local landfills. That report prompted Sen. Chuck Shumer, D-NY, to call for a federal investigation of whether bags containing unacceptable levels of lead are coming into contact with food. Some supermarket chains have already stop using reusable bags over food safety concerns.  


“All available research indicates these bags comply with all applicable health and safety regulations and are safe for our guests’ use,” said Christine Day, CEO of lululemon. “The shoppers at issue were obtained from our newest supplier, and have only been distributed in our stores for approximately the last year. We choose our partners carefully and the manufacturer of the shoppers is known for its green practices, and is cooperating fully with our review. While we conduct that review, we believe that from a long-term environmental perspective it is better to stop distributing these bags. Our guests will be provided with shoppers from other manufacturers that do not raise potential environmental concerns.”

Lululemon takes pride in its unwavering commitment to the health and well being of our guests, our local communities, and the environment. We strive to have a positive impact in all we do. The company posted photos of the affected shoppers in a letter to it customers posted to its website at  www.lululemon.com/shoppers.