As consumers put more pressure on corporations to take action against single-use plastic, one grocery store stands out: Sobeys. By the end of January 2020, the grocery store chain will remove all plastic grocery bags from over 250 locations across Canada, reducing 225 million plastic grocery bags out of circulation each year. This ban will also affect Sobey's other retailers including Safeway, FreshCo, and Foodland.
The grocery chain also launched the 'OurPart' pledge asking shoppers to commit to bringing a reusable bag each time they shop. While Sobeys in encouraging its shoppers to bring their own bags, the retailer will be selling large reusable grocery bags for 99 cents, smaller reusable bags for 25 cents, and paper bags are available for 10 cents, with a portion of paper bag sales going to plant trees in Canada.
This isn't the first eco-friendly commitment made by the brand. In 2019, Sobeys debuted its first parking lot paved using post-consumer plastics, which drastically divert the amount of waste entering local landfills as the parking lot contains the equivalent of over six million recycled single-use plastic bags.
Grocery Store-Led Plastic Bans
Sobeys is Eliminating Single-Use Plastic Bags in All 255 Stores
Trend Themes
1. Grocery Store-led Plastic Bans - Opportunity for grocery stores to eliminate single-use plastic and adopt sustainable packaging solutions.
2. Consumer Pressure for Sustainable Practices - Increasing pressure from consumers for businesses to take action against single-use plastic, leading to innovative eco-friendly initiatives.
3. Promotion of Reusable Bags - Growing promotion and sale of reusable bags by grocery stores as an alternative to single-use plastic bags.
Industry Implications
1. Grocery Retail - Grocery stores have an opportunity to revolutionize their packaging practices and reduce plastic waste.
2. Eco-friendly Retail - The emergence of eco-friendly retail as consumers actively seek businesses that prioritize sustainable practices.
3. Reusable Bag Manufacturing - Increasing demand for reusable bags presents opportunities for growth and innovation in the manufacturing sector.