Overview
Many grocery store receipts are printed on thermal paper coated with bisphenols—primarily bisphenol A (BPA) and, more recently, bisphenol S (BPS)—which are well-documented endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). These substances can mimic or interfere with the body’s hormones, potentially leading to a range of health problems 1 2 3 4 5 6 7.
How Exposure Happens
- Thermal Paper: Most receipts use thermal paper, which contains a coating of BPA or BPS as a color developer. When you touch these receipts, bisphenols can transfer to your skin and be absorbed into your body 1 2 3 4 5 6 7.
- Absorption: The skin readily absorbs bisphenols. Using hand sanitizers or lotions before handling receipts can dramatically increase absorption—by up to 100 times—because these products often contain chemicals that enhance skin penetration 9.
- Transfer to Food: If you handle a receipt and then touch food, bisphenols can be transferred orally as well as dermally, increasing exposure 9.
Health Risks
Both BPA and BPS are linked to a variety of health concerns due to their hormone-disrupting properties:
- Cancer: Increased risk of breast and prostate cancers 3 4 6 7.
- Reproductive Harm: Fertility issues, birth defects, and developmental disorders 1 2 3 4 6 7.
- Metabolic Effects: Obesity, diabetes, and altered metabolism 3 7.
- Cardiovascular and Immune Effects: Potential links to heart disease, immune dysfunction, and asthma 3 7.
- Neurological Effects: Impacts on brain development and behavior, especially in children 3.
Even low doses can be unsafe, as the endocrine system is highly sensitive to small hormonal changes 8.
Prevalence and Regulatory Response
- BPA: Once common in receipts, BPA has been largely phased out in the US and EU due to health concerns and regulatory action 1 2 3 5 6 7.
- BPS: Most retailers have replaced BPA with BPS, but BPS has similar endocrine-disrupting effects1 2 3 6 7. A 2023 US study found BPS in nearly 80% of receipts tested, with BPA present in less than 1% 1 2 6.
- Safer Alternatives: Some retailers have switched to bisphenol-free receipts, and digital receipts are increasingly available236.
Who Is Most at Risk?
- Cashiers and Retail Workers: Those who handle receipts frequently are at the highest risk of exposure, with studies showing significant spikes in urinary bisphenol levels after just 15 minutes of handling receipts 4 1 3.
- General Public: Occasional contact poses less risk, but repeated or prolonged exposure can contribute to overall bisphenol body burden 3 6 7 9.
How to Reduce Exposure
- It’s important to know that the receipts have one coated side, which is the printed or glossy side 14 15
- Handle the receipt in such a way that you touch only the uncoated unprinted mat side. For example folding the receipt with the coated side in
- Decline paper receipts or opt for digital versions when possible 3.
- Avoid letting receipts touch food or storing them in wallets/purses 3.
- Wear gloves or latex finger cots or rubber finger tips (for page turning). Because just the printed side is toxic, a cashier could simply wear the rubber finger tip on her/his thumb, or two finger cots if you have thin fingers.
- Wash hands after handling receipts, especially before eating 3.
- Avoid using hand sanitizers or lotions before touching receipts, as they increase bisphenol absorption 9. (sorry for those who were forced to do that, during the pandemic).
- Encourage retailers to switch to bisphenol-free or digital receipts 2 3.
- Share this information to your boss so you can determine the most convenient safe option.
Summary Table: Bisphenols in Receipts
Chemical Use in receipts Disruption Prevalence Health risks
BPA formerly common yes <1% (US 2023) Cancer, reproductive, metabolic, immune, neurological
BPS common replacement yes ~80% (US, 2023) Similar to BPA
Conclusion
Contact with grocery receipts remains a significant, though often overlooked, source of exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals like BPA and BPS. While regulatory and market changes are reducing the prevalence of these chemicals, BPS has largely replaced BPA and poses similar risks. Minimizing direct contact with receipts and advocating for safer alternatives are effective steps to reduce personal and public health risks123679.
Citations:
- https://www.ecocenter.org/our-work/healthy-stuff-lab/reports/receipt-deceit-toxic-chemicals-receipt-paper
- https://toxicfreefuture.org/blog/toxic-free-receipts-the-fight-to-eliminate-endocrine-disruptors-from-everyday-transactions/
- https://chemtrust.org/till-receipts/
- https://www.ufcw.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=32200&catid=14&Itemid=2415&lang=en
- https://www.genengnews.com/news/endocrine-disrupting-chemical-found-in-store-receipts/
- https://toxicfreefuture.org/press-room/new-study-finds-toxic-chemicals-in-80-of-receipt-paper-tested-down-from-93-in-2017/
- https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2020/12/harmful-bpa-replacements-contaminate-store-receipts
- https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/endocrine
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25337790/
- https://www.endocrine.org/patient-engagement/endocrine-library/edcs
- https://www.pippacampbellhealth.com/blog/how-to-avoid-endocrine-disruptors/
- https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/chemicals/endocrine.html
- https://www.corporateknights.com/perspectives/voices/estrogen-leaching-receipts-turn-heat-major-retailers
- https://www.pca.state.mn.us/business-with-us/bpa-and-bps-in-thermal-paper
- https://www.ufcw.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=32200&catid=14&Itemid=2415&lang=en
Researcher Mario Quesada 438 345 4320
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Mario Quesada 