Lock & Lock Rectangular Lunch Box 3-Piece Set with Insulated Stripe Bag
Skip until brand discloses PFAS status of insulated bag coating.
Lock & Lock containers are polypropylene, lower concern. The insulated striped bag likely has a water-repellent treatment; brand does not disclose its chemistry or PFAS status.
The better-graded swap
Lock & Lock
Lock&Lock Insulated Lunch Box, Stainless Steel Lunch Box, Insulated Bowl For Baby Food, Lunch Box For Elementary School
80/100 safety
Same rubric that flunked this product. The swap earned Excellent.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
polypropylene food containers, insulated polyester bag with water-repellent finish
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
What Lock & Lock Rectangular Lunch Box 3-Piece is made of, ingredients and materials
The food containers are polypropylene (PP), a thermoplastic with lower migration risk than many plastics when used at room temperature or with cool/warm foods. The insulated bag uses polyester fabric with an applied water-repellent finish whose exact chemistry is not specified by Lock & Lock. Polyester itself does not inherently leach; the concern is the finish coating, which in many insulated food bags relies on fluorinated compounds (PFAS) for water resistance, though Lock & Lock has not disclosed this.
What’s concerning
Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
Water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS.
Category baseline
The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
Migration from polypropylene (oligomers, additives)
PP containers may release trace oligomers or stabilizer additives into fatty or acidic foods, especially when heated. Risk is low at room temperature and with neutral-pH foods but increases with prolonged contact with hot oils or vinegars.
Water-repellent coating composition (insulated bag)
The polyester insulated bag carries an undisclosed water-repellent finish. Industry-standard finishes in this price segment frequently contain PFAS; Lock & Lock has not confirmed or ruled out PFAS in this coating, creating uncertainty on a reported hazard class in insulated food bags.
What’s reassuring
BPA & bisphenols
Polypropylene does not contain or require BPA as a monomer or additive. No recalls or warnings specific to this product for BPA presence are on record.
Source, FDA ↗Phthalates
Polypropylene does not use phthalate plasticizers. No documented phthalate contamination in Lock & Lock PP containers has been reported.
Source, ATSDR ↗Off-gassing from polyester or synthetic finishes
No formaldehyde resin finish, antimony catalyst, or volatile organic compound complaints specific to this bag are documented. Standard polyester insulation and coatings in lunch bags do not typically off-gas significantly at ambient temperatures.
The full breakdown
The brand's record and disclosure
Lock & Lock has not published material safety data sheets, chemical composition statements, or PFAS-related commitments for this product line. The brand does not appear in public records of companies that have pledged PFAS phase-out or certification bodies like Cradle to Cradle or OEKO-TEX. No major product recalls or safety controversies involving this specific lunch box set are documented, and the polypropylene containers themselves have no known recent compliance issues.
How it compares in its category
Polypropylene food containers are mainstream in this category and generally perform similarly to other PP lunch boxes in migration testing at typical use temperatures. The significant differentiator is the insulated bag, most budget insulated food bags use untested or PFAS-based water repellents; higher-transparency brands disclose wax or polyurethane alternatives. Lock & Lock's silence on bag coating chemistry puts this set at a transparency disadvantage compared to brands that specify PFAS-free or non-fluorinated finishes.
If you buy it
Keep containers away from high heat (dishwasher top rack only, do not microwave if concerned about migration); use for room-temperature or chilled foods preferentially. Do not store fatty or acidic foods in the containers for extended periods, as these can increase migration from plastic slightly. Wash the insulated bag by hand with mild soap; do not expose to heat or harsh solvents, which may degrade the finish. Replace containers or the bag if visible cracks, cloudiness, or odor develops, as these signal degradation.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 45% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Lock & Lock has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
Better-graded alternatives in Lunch Boxes
Klean Kanteen
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- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
- Silicone gasket degradation
3 hazards checked on this product. See all of them.
Snapware
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- borosilicate glass
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Leaching from glass matrix or lid seals
2 hazards checked on this product. See all of them.
OXO
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- Stainless steel container, no surface treatment
- Lid/gasket polymer leaching
3 hazards checked on this product. See all of them.
More lunch boxes grades
How we score, every product runs through the same public 0-100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.