The Vitamin Shoppe is the latest large retailer to announce it now carries CBD, but unlike other drugstore chains, the New Jersey-based company is selling edible CBD supplements and drops.
The move goes against repeated warnings from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that CBD in food, cosmetics and dietary supplements remains illegal.
The company started stocking CBD softgels this week and plans to add drops later this month, according to CNBC.
Vitamin Shoppe did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Hemp Industry Daily.
The retailer, which trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol VSI, sourced Irwin Naturals softgels, a full-spectrum hemp extract, and Garden of Life’s Dr. Formulated broad spectrum CBD extract softgels and liquid drops.
The products will be available in 14 states, Washington DC and Puerto Rico. The retailer began selling hemp extract essential oils nationwide in March.
A spokeswoman told CNBC that customers need a reliable place to buy products they know they can trust, including hemp-derived CBD extracts.
Within the past month, CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid have announced they each would sell products containing CBD.
Several traditional retailers also stock hemp-derived products, including Urban Outfitters, Sephora, Ulta Beauty, Neiman Marcus, Barneys and DSW.
