Woolworths puts an end to selling reusable plastic bags across ALL its stores in Australia
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Before heading out for a grocery run, make sure you’re equipped with a reusable bag (or several) because Woolworths recently confirmed that it will no longer sell 15 cent reusable plastic bags in any of its stores across the country in a gradual phase-out over the next year.
As an alternative, customers will have to purchase either 20 cent or 99 cent fabric bags upon checking out – unless, of course, they bring their own reusable bags to carry their purchases. This is the start of a drastic shift in how we do our grocery shopping.
The company predicted that the implementation could cut the use of over 9000 tonnes of plastic bags annually.
In a statement made to announce the change, Woolworths Managing Director Natalie Davis shared that eight out of ten shoppers already brought their own bags to stores.
Image Credit: Woolworths Group, The Courier Mail
The decision followed after the company stopped providing single-use bags for free back in 2018.
“We’ve seen a huge shift in shopping habits since we stopped giving out single-use plastic bags, with eight out of 10 customers now bringing their own bags from home,” Davis explained.
“The reusable plastic bags have played their part and now it’s time to do away with selling plastic shopping bags at our checkouts for good.”
Even though the supermarket ditched offering reusable plastic bags, the lightweight plastic bags used for storing fruits and vegetables will continue to be available in the produce department. However, Woolworths is currently on the lookout for ‘more sustainable options’ to substitute them in the future.
The supermarket will also be rolling out an education campaign and putting up signs in its stores to encourage shoppers to bring their own bags.
“Ultimately, we want to sell fewer bags,” Davis added.
“We know the change may be an adjustment for some customers and that’s why we’re phasing this change in over the coming year.
“We’d like to thank them in advance for their support as we all work together to create a better tomorrow.”
This isn’t the first time Woolies has taken a step towards curbing massive amounts of single-plastic use. They initially phased out reusable plastic bags in WA after the state launched an act to ban plastics.
Goodbye, single-use plastics! Image Credit: In Defense of Animals
Australians use a whopping total of 6 billion plastic bags per year, 3.3 of which are plastic bags used in supermarkets.
ABC touched on the issue, stating: “The biggest problem with plastic bags is that they do not readily break down in the environment, with estimates for the time it takes them to decompose ranging from 20 to 1000 years.”
“Once an animal that had ingested a plastic bag dies, it decays at a much faster rate than the bag. Once the animal has decomposed, the bag is released back into the environment more or less intact, ready to be eaten by another misguided organism.”
You may think that something as simple as re-using a plastic bag won’t make that much of a difference, but collectively, the act makes a huge contribution to the future of the planet. So, the next time you bring your own bag to the supermarket, hold your head up high and give yourself a pat on the back!
What are your thoughts on Woolworth’s decision to ban 15 cent plastic bags? Share them with us in the comments.
Don’t have a reusable bag in hand? Learn how to DIY one by watching the video below:
Video Credit: sewingtimes
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