Never Touch Your Shopping Receipts: Top American Doctor Explains Why

Shopping is fun as it involves a lot of buying that gives you joy, thereby keeping you mentally fit and healthy. However, whether it is grocery shopping or a fashion splurge is fine, but make sure to stay

away from the receipt you get after paying bills. According to a top US-based allergist, the otherwise harmless-looking paper slip is sabotaging your health. “Don't touch,” Dr Tania Elliott, a board-certified internal medicine specialist based in New York City, has warned on social media. Sharing a video on Instagram, Dr Elliott said, whenever the cashier hands you a receipt, you would mostly take a quick look to just see how it matches your purchase and then toss it in your wallet without a second thought. While there are many people who even hoard these receipts for no reason, you must immediately discard them. “Most of these receipts contain toxic chemicals,” she said.

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A post shared by Tania Elliott (@drtaniaelliott)

Why are shopping receipts harmful?

According to Dr Elliot, most of the receipts contain the use of thermal paper that is loaded with bisphenols like bisphenol A (BPA), which easily get absorbed into your bloodstream. “These chemicals are toxic,” she explained. “They are the famous hormone disruptors, which could impact fertility, hormone balance, and increase the risk of certain cancers,” said Dr Elliot. Studies have found that BPA levels on individual receipts can be more than a thousand times higher than what is found in a can of food. While most people think BPA exposure comes from plastic water bottles or food containers, paper receipts are also a huge source of exposure. According to recent research by the University of Missouri, BPA absorption drastically goes up when you use skincare products like hand sanitiser, soap, or sunscreen before handling a receipt. Dr Elliott stressed that even small exposures over time can be harmful, and because receipts are so common, the risk can easily add up. “They are easily identified by the customer since they are those receipts that, after some time, lose what was printed on them, and when you go to return the trousers you bought, the cashiers say they cannot see anything. Very often, the only thing you find is a fine white powder that comes off when taking them out of the handbag or purse. BPA is, precisely, that white powder that sticks to your fingers,” she explained.

How can you keep yourself safe?

To minimise the use of BPAs, especially through paper receipts, you can take simple steps like:

• Always opt for digital receipts, either via email or text, and make sure to recommend the same to others.
• If you cannot avoid handling receipts, doctors advise that you always wash your hands immediately afterward and avoid using hand sanitiser first.

A Spanish has urged shoppers to proceed with caution. “Do not crumple the tickets to throw them in the trash, play with them, write notes on them, or store them in cars, purses, or handbags. In short, we should handle this kind of ticket as little as possible," they said.