No more checkout bags.
Foodstuffs
No more checkout bags at New World, PAK'nSAVE, Four Square,
Raeward Fresh, Liquorland, Gilmours, Trents, Henry's, or On The
Spot convenience stores.
Foodstuffs has announced today that from 1 January 2019, all
retail* and wholesale brands in the 100% New Zealand owned and
operated Co-operative will no longer offer plastic checkout
bags.
Steve Anderson, MD Foodstuffs NZ, speaking on behalf
of all the brands says, "We've been part of New Zealand's landscape
for nearly 100 years, feeding and nurturing and employing millions
of Kiwis. We also welcome millions of travellers to our stores as
they journey through this amazing country. We consider it a huge
privilege and responsibility to do our best to look after our patch
for centuries to come.
"The change in plastic bags, our work to improve and
remove plastic packaging where appropriate, our leadership in soft
plastics recycling and the ban on microbeads and plastic cotton
buds - all add up to major changes in the way we look after New
Zealand.
Since we started this conversation we've seen between
a 20 to 36% drop in plastic bag usage in our stores - but by the
time January 1 rolls around this change will have removed more than
350 million plastic bags from circulation.
Some stores in the Foodstuffs network have already
gone plastic bag free at the checkout including New World Devonport
and Four Square Raglan, Matakana and Martinborough. New World
Howick, Marton and PAK'nSAVE Silverdale will to do the same from
August 29.
"From 1 October, all New World, PAK'nSAVE and Four
Square customers can expect to see an increased focus on reusable
bags with more options available.
Anderson says, "By the end of March next year we will
have given away a reusable bag to pretty much every New Zealander.
We see our beautiful bags everywhere; on the beach, in the park, at
the gym, in our stores and they've even been spotted at our
competitors' stores. That's perfectly Ok - the more we all change
to reusables, the faster we stop plastic bags ending up in the
environment."
In response to the fuss across the ditch about
plastic bags and customer angst, Anderson says, "We don't
anticipate the same reaction in New Zealand. Perhaps it's because
Kiwis are keener to look after what we have. We're all neighbours,
we're one big family - we look out for each other and our patch.
New Zealand is ready to roll with no plastic bags at the checkout
from 1 January, 2019. So are we."
*Liquorland will transition completely out of
single use plastic checkout bags by end February 2019.
