Honest Products

Quality sourcing starts with a thoughtful approach.

At the co-op, you’ll find a range of organic, fresh, local, seasonal and sustainable products. Our staff knows their stuff and every item on our shelves passes through the hands of our quality standards experts before it ends up in yours.

We prioritize organic because people, animals and waterways ought to be protected in every way possible. We’re a proud Certified Organic retailer, work with a number of sustainability leaders and pursue certifications to bring you products sourced to the highest standards.

Animal Welfare

At PCC, we believe the way humans treat farm animals is integral to our own general well-being and the health of our planet. We believe we have a responsibility to see that livestock are raised humanely, free of pain, fear, and psychological stress, and that they’re able to express their natural behaviors.

Read PCC's animal welfare standards

Beer, Wine, and Spirits

Our goal is to offer our customers beer, cider, wine, and spirits from producers who farm and ferment with respect for the earth and the health of workers in the vineyards and fields. Producers of alcoholic beverages aren’t bound legally to list ingredients, but we seek to do business with those who are transparent and use ingredients that uphold PCC standards.

PCC Beer, Wine, and Spirits Standard >

Beer, Wine, and Spirits Standard FAQs >

Cleaning Products

From countertop cleansers to dish soap, cleaning products play an important role in ensuring the spaces where we work, shop and live are sanitary, safe, and clean. However, many of these products can also contain harsh chemicals that may be harmful to human health and the ecosystem. Additionally, cleaning companies are not required to list the ingredients in their products, making it difficult for people to make informed choices. Over the past decade there has been monumental growth in the cleaning industry, with more companies committed to safer ingredients and sustainable packaging.

PCC’s Cleaning Product Standard is intended to ensure we provide the safest options available to our shoppers. We source our cleaning products from companies that are committed to reducing the health and environmental impacts of their products and who prioritize ingredient transparency.

PCC Cleaning Products Standard >

Cleaning Products Standard FAQS >

carrots covered in dirt being pulled from soil

Compost and soil amendments

When you buy compost or fertilizer for your garden, be aware that products labeled “organic” or “100 percent natural” may not follow the same standards as the food you purchase that’s labelled “organic.” That’s because the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Organic Program (NOP) doesn’t regulate the use of the term “organic” as it applies to composts and soil amendments.

On these products, a label declaring “organic” means only that the product is carbon-based. Some “organic” fertilizers may contain undisclosed hazardous chemicals from industry waste, mining, or other contaminated sources.

PCC has adopted a standard that requires the composts and soil amendments we sell to be approved for use in organic agriculture by a third-party certifying agency such as Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA), California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), or the Organic Materials Review Board (OMRI). Products certified by such agencies are the safest options on the market because they must meet clear and strict requirements designed to minimize harmful materials and contaminants.

PCC Compost and Soil Amendment Standard >

Compost and Soil Amendment Standard FAQs >

EGGS

The whole, fresh chicken eggs found on our shelves are laid by hens that spend at least six hours per day outside, soaking up sunshine and stretching their wings. This is just the minimum requirement — we believe that hens should truly roam green pastures. So, in addition to our free-range options, PCC offers a variety of fresh eggs from pasture-raised hens. Our own PCC Organic Mobile Pastured Eggs come from Wilcox Family Farms in Roy, Washington, where hens are raised in mobile hen houses that are regularly moved along fresh pasture.

PCC Laying Hens and Whole Eggs Standard >

Laying Hens and Whole Eggs Standard FAQs >

Fair Labor

PCC is committed to being a positive force in the lives of people who work in our supply chain. We will not tolerate verified child labor, forced labor, human trafficking, abuse or harassment.

We expect employers to meet or exceed legal requirements for labor practices, worker health and safety, and housing. We have created and adopted specific standards to avoid labor abuses common in the chocolate, banana, coffee and seafood industries.

PCC Fair Labor Standard >

Fair Labor Standard FAQs >

Salts and spices in a bowl on a countertop.

Food Ingredients

Every food product in our stores is screened by our experts against our industry-leading quality standards.

We don’t allow harmful artificial preservatives, colors, flavors, sweeteners, or hundreds of other additives commonly found in many conventional and highly processed foods.

PCC Food Ingredient Standard >

Food Ingredient Standard FAQs >

See our list of acceptable and unacceptable ingredients for food >

Fresh Milk

PCC sells fresh milk that is certified organic or comes from cows raised on non-GMO feed. The dairy farms who we source milk from raise their cows on pasture without ionophores or other antibiotics that are endemic in the dairy industry. Several brands are from cows bred to produce A2 beta-casein, which some believe makes dairy more digestible.

PCC Fresh Milk Standard >

Fresh Milk Standard FAQs >

Fresh Produce

Research shows that organic growing methods are gentler on the environment and that organic produce is lower in toxic pesticides and can contain higher levels of nutrients. Organic farms also offer safer working conditions for farm families, workers, and surrounding communities.

This is why ninety-five percent of the produce sold at PCC is certified organic. Our produce buyers give preference to organic, highlighting in-season and locally grown produce as much as possible. PCC is also an advocate of labeling hydroponically grown produce, especially if it is organic, so that our shoppers have transparency about how their food is grown.

PCC Produce Standard >

Produce Standard FAQs >

Genetic Engineering Transparency

PCC has been advocating for transparency in genetically engineered (GE) foods and ingredients for two decades. Under the rules of the National Bioengineering Food Disclosure Standard (NBFDS) — the federal law and regulations on GE labeling that were finalized in 2018 — we are required to label only certain categories of foods.

While we are disappointed with the NBFDS and continue to advocate for stronger GE labeling, we are committed to providing the greatest transparency possible under the federal law and also encourage our vendors to do likewise in labeling their products.

As of January 1, 2022, mandatory compliance with the NBFDS is required. In light of this, PCC is focused on compliance, clear communication and exploring ways in which we can provide the utmost transparency to our shoppers.

PCC GE Ingredient and Labeling Standard >

GE Ingredient and Labeling Standard FAQs >

Health and Body Care

PCC is committed to providing our customers with high quality health and body care products that are safer for people and the environment. We encourage companies to continually improve the quality and safety of their ingredients.

We give preference to minimally processed, organic ingredients, sustainably harvested materials, and responsibly packaged products. Our goal is to reduce the number of petroleum-derived chemicals that further our reliance on fossil fuels and contribute to climate change. We accept certain ingredients only if they are made from renewable sources and do not allow certain products or substances that are known to contribute to climate change or plastic pollution, such as aerosol sprays and microbeads.

We don’t accept products that contain substances that are known to cause neurological damage, birth defects, organ failure, or endocrine system disruption. We don’t allow any ingredients that are considered known or probable carcinogens according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), International Agency for Research on Cancer, or the National Toxicology Program.

In addition to our body care products, we hold high standards for the supplements, vitamins, and medicinal products we carry. We don’t allow artificial dyes, flavors, and sweeteners in those products and give priority to locally crafted, organic, and fair-trade producers.

Our list of prohibited ingredients includes almost 600 specific chemicals that we have identified as not acceptable in the products we sell. Our standard informs what substances are on this list and we continue to evaluate criteria as new information emerges on the safety of ingredients to ensure we are selling the best and safest products.

PCC Personal Care Product Standard >

Personal Care Products Standard FAQs >

PCC Supplements and Medicine Standard >

Supplements and Medicine Standard FAQs >

See our list of acceptable and unacceptable ingredients for health and body care >

Inclusive Trade

The PCC Inclusive Trade Program is guided by our Statement of Equity and Inclusion:

PCC is committed to welcoming people of all identities, cultures and backgrounds. As a triple bottom line cooperative, our vision, mission and values stand firmly rooted in the nourishment and well-being of people, their communities and our planet.

While racism and colonialism continue to play a significant role in shaping food systems, PCC is committed to cultivating justice-centered relationships that do not exploit.

PCC does not tolerate bigoted behavior within our community. Accordingly, we take action to foster a safe and inclusive environment.

About the Program

The PCC Inclusive Trade Program is an effort to support businesses owned by individuals from historically and currently excluded communities, who have experienced disproportionate challenges and barriers due to deeply embedded structural discrimination. Building upon the program developed by the National Co+op Grocers (NCG), the PCC Inclusive Trade Program recognizes suppliers whose businesses are 51% owned, operated and controlled by one or more of the Inclusive Trade categories, including Women-Owned; Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)- or Person of Color (POC)-Owned; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and/or Transgender (LGBTQIA+)-Owned; Veterans and Service-Disabled Veterans-Owned or Persons with Disabilities-Owned.

While NCG requires a third-party certification to enroll in their program, certification is not required for our local suppliers. We do, however, ask that all interested vendors complete a checklist providing information about their business and verifying that they meet the program requirements.

We understand the PCC Inclusive Trade Program is just one step on a long journey of learning and working towards systemic change. We look forward to working with our suppliers and communities to continuously improve and evaluate our program standards to ensure it is serving a beneficial purpose in building a more inclusive food system for all.

PCC Inclusive Trade Program >

PCC Inclusive Trade Standard >

Inclusive Trade Standard FAQS >

Packaging

PCC’s packaging standard and guidelines are based in a belief that we have a fundamental responsibility as a community-owned retailer to choose packaging that is safe for consumers and has the least impact on the environment. Our standard provides recommendations on the best options for packaging for our vendors and guidance for our merchandisers to evaluate products. For our PCC brand products, we work with producers who are dedicated to finding more sustainable packaging options and our standard pushes them with stronger requirements for minimal packaging, compostable materials, and recycled content.

PCC Packaging Standard >

Packaging Standard FAQs >

Prior to the packaging standard, PCC developed a preliminary packaging initiative that focused on guidance and best practices to help vendors determine safer or less toxic packaging options.

Palm Oil

Palm oil is used widely in all types of consumer products, from baked goods to soap. It’s also associated with massive ecological destruction. When it is harvested in a manner that doesn’t contribute to deforestation and human exploitation, palm oil can be a very sustainable option, yielding high quantities of oil with relatively low carbon emissions.

PCC identified palm oil as an issue of high concern in 2016 and we have been actively researching the topic and exploring steps to address palm oil in our supply chain. Given its prevalence in the market and potential positive impact if ‘done right,’ we determined that PCC should focus on supporting sustainably sourced palm oil, rather than seeking to eliminate palm oil from our supply chains.

Our first step is to ensure the products we have control over contain sustainably sourced palm oil. PCC kitchens obtain their palm shortening and oil from Palm Done Right, which sets some of the highest standards for sustainable palm. While the supply of sustainable palm isn’t large enough to accommodate all companies yet, PCC encourages vendors to use sustainably harvested palm oil as much as possible. By working with Palm Done Right and our vendor partnerships, PCC aims to help encourage and grow the supply of sustainable palm.

PCC Palm Oil Standard >

Palm Oil Standard FAQs >

Plants, Cut Flowers and Starts

We believe that providing our customers with the means to grow sustainable and organic plants is just as important as offering organic produce. We only sell certified organic seeds and plant starts (unless commercially unavailable) for edible crops.

We also seek out flower vendors who are committed to reducing their pesticide use and environmental impact and who are transparent about their growing and harvesting practices. As the season allows and along with other offerings, we source both locally grown cut flowers and native ornamental varieties to grow in your home garden.

Our roses have the Veriflora Sustainably Grown certification, which means producers are committed to reducing their chemical use, water use, and energy consumption, and providing fair and safe working conditions.

PCC Plants, Cut Flowers, Starts and Seeds Standard >

Plants, Cut Flowers, Starts, and Seeds Standard FAQs >

Product Origin

As supply chains have become more globalized, it’s important to know how and where products were made. PCC’s product origin standard outlines our commitment to upholding Country of Origin Labeling laws, establishing meaningful guidelines for what constitutes a locally sourced and produced product, and encouraging all vendors to be transparent about where their products, and ingredients, come from.

PCC Product Origin Standard >

Product Origin Standard FAQs >

Seafood

Fresh and frozen seafood at PCC comes from responsible sources as defined by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program. This means fisheries or aquaculture operations are rated a Green Best Choice, Yellow Good Alternative or are eco-certified to a standard recognized by Seafood Watch. The only exception is Chinook salmon, which is sourced according to our more specific PCC Chinook Sourcing Standard.

In creating its assessments and rating system, the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program considers a variety of factors associated with seafood production, including catch method, bycatch and impacts on the natural habitat.

PCC’s standards also consider consumer health. We will not sell seafood species known to be high in mercury or other contaminants, and we will not accept seafood processed with any toxic chemicals used to prevent thaw drip or preserve color.

Additionally, our farmed seafood selection is carefully curated. We will never sell carnivorous species or fish raised in net pens, and any farmed finfish or shellfish must be raised without the use of pesticides, antibiotics or genetically engineered feed.

The majority of our seafood comes from the USA, in part to avoid seafood procured by illegal fishing and practices that exploit workers in other parts of the world.

PCC Finfish, Shellfish, Crustacean, and Cephalopod Standard >

Finfish, Shellfish, Crustacean, and Cephalopod Standard FAQs >

Chinook Salmon Standard

The PCC Chinook Sourcing Standard, developed by experts at the National Fisheries Conservation Center (NFCC), supports a place-based sourcing strategy for Chinook salmon. This assures consumers that purchase these fish do not deplete Southern Resident Killer Whales’ main food supply.

Using a three-tier rating system, fisheries and supporting hatcheries are evaluated to ensure harvesting Chinook is not intercepting prey for Southern Residents or depleting salmon stocks. Since incomplete knowledge and insufficient data is always a risk, suppliers must be able to show a high level of confidence in their data for avoiding prey interception or stock depletion.

Additionally, PCC will only sell Chinook salmon from fisheries that receive an A in the Prey Interception Risk category and an A or B in the Stock and Knowledge risk categories. Because of the unique rigor and regional focus of this independent standard, Chinook sold by PCC is evaluated separately from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program.

PCC Chinook Sourcing Standard and Rating Guidelines Report >

Chinook Sourcing Standard FAQs >

Columbia River Chinook Sourcing FAQs >

Chinook Salmon Fishery Evaluation Reports >