Held v. Grocery Outlet, Inc.

Whistleblower Anthony E. Held, Ph.D., P.E.’s allegations against defendant Grocery Outlet, Inc. (“Grocery Outlet”) were resolved on May 27, 2014, when the parties executed a Consent Judgment.  In this matter, Held alleged that Grocery Outlet sold padded upholstered bar stools, ottomans, and storage boxes containing the flame retardant tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (“TDCPP”) in the State of California without providing the requisite health hazard warnings.

As part of the settlement, Grocery Outlet agreed not to sell any upholstered bar stools, ottomans, or storage boxes containing TDCPP in California after May 30, 2014.

The Consent Judgment requires settlement payments of $50,000, divided therein between civil penalties, 75% of which are paid to California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, and compensation to citizen enforcer Held and his counsel for their successful enforcement of this matter in the public interest.