This church asked Albertsons for abortion-related costs. Shareholders said no

BOISE (Idaho Statesman) — Earlier this summer, the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. asked Albertsons to report publicly on how much abortion bans around the country have cost the company.

The church owns just a tiny fraction of the Boise grocery giant’s stock, at least $2,000 in stock for at least three years, qualifying it to submit a shareholder proposal. It asked Albertsons to prepare a report on any known costs to the company caused by state policies severely restricting reproductive rights or access to abortion-related medications.

Idaho, where the supermarket chain is based, has a strict abortion ban.

But Albertsons shareholders overwhelming rejected the proposal at the company’s annual stockholder meeting on Aug. 7. The measure received 21,612,709 votes in favor and 449,458,807 votes against, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

The church’s Board of Pensions had said in its proposal that Albertsons has 137,000 female employees who may face steep challenges accessing reproductive health care. It cited a survey that found 64% of Americans say employers should ensure employees have access to reproductive health care and that a majority of women under 40 would prefer to work for a company that supports abortion access.

“Albertsons operates 1,730 pharmacies in the U.S. but has repeatedly declined to clarify whether it will provide abortion medication to its customers where it is legal to do so,” the church said.

The grocer’s board had recommended voting against the proposal, arguing that it imposes unnecessary burdens without providing meaningful benefits. The company said in a proxy statement that it already offers comprehensive health benefits and monitors laws to support employees as required.

“Albertsons does not decide which treatments and procedures are medically necessary; rather, these decisions are made by our associates, their healthcare providers and the insurance companies administering the plan,” the company said. “We are continually reviewing and developing our health benefits and intend to update those benefits to meet the evolving needs of our workforce and in compliance with applicable law.”

A spokesperson for the church did not immediately respond Wednesday to a call and an email requesting comment.

The Presbyterian Church is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, and has a few dozen congregations in Idaho, including a handful in the Treasure Valley, according to a church directory. It has over a million members around the country.