Woolworths releases its low-cost, reusable bag across more stores in SA
CAPE TOWN – Woolworths announced that it will be bringing its new low-cost, reusable bag to more stores across South Africa and that it will be opening three more ‘plastic shopping bag free’ stores.
Feroz Koor, the Woolworths Holdings Group Head of Sustainability said in a statement: We want to thank our customers for taking part in the trial and giving us valuable feedback and learnings. This journey to phase out single-use plastics is one that we have to take together, and it has been fantastic to see Woolies customers coming on board to help reduce plastic waste in the environment."
"At the stores where customers had the option to keep buying single-use plastic bags, we saw promising reductions in plastic bag sales, particularly at Woolies Pinelands where there was a 23 percent drop in the sales of single-use plastic bags. We look forward now to expanding the project for greater impact."
In November 2018, The company first launched the trial version of the bag and over 100 000 single-use bags were saved from going out into the environment as customers opted for the affordable, reusable shopping bags.
Other results from the trial showed that Steenberg Village Woolies stopped selling single-use plastic bags completely.
The unique design behind these bags is that the bag’s fabric is made locally out of recycled plastic bottles and is recyclable.
The aim of the project is to positively shift consumer behaviour to choosing reusable bags, is an important part of Woolworths commitments to achieve its ambitious ZERO packaging waste to landfill vision, which includes the commitment to ensuring that all packaging is recyclable or reusable by 2022, and to specifically phase out single-use plastic bags by 2020.
From May, the more affordable reusable shopping bags will be rolled out to 15 additional top Woolies stores across the country.
The project also supports the South African black-owned supplier, Isikhwama, which has been supplying Woolworths with reusable bags for over ten years. Isikhwama currently employs 130 people and 17 new jobs were created during the first phase of the trial. The ongoing roll-out of the low-cost reusable bag will enable Isikhwama to grow their business and employ more people.
It is further noted that Woolworths Holdings has become the first and only African company to sign The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy Global Commitment.
The world-changing initiative, which intends to define a ‘new normal’ for plastics globally, involves all sectors of society across the world in addressing plastic waste and pollution at its source. In collaboration with the UN Environment, The New Plastics Economy Global Commitment was launched in October 2018.
Written by: Staff reporter.
Guzzle Media
