Waste management progress - key iniatives
Waste management progress - key iniatives
Plastic bag reduction
Since any single-use bag – whether paper, plastic or biodegradable – consumes significant resources for limited utility, Sobeys' policy is to make it as easy as possible for our customers to switch to reusable bags. We continually encourage our customers to use our Green Bags for Life as an alternative to plastic bags. Through cashier training to increase the number of items placed in each plastic bag, plastic bag consumption is also reduced.
In Ontario, a 5-cent per bag fee was introduced in mid-2009 across our Sobeys, Foodland and IGA network of stores, although the fee is required by law only in Toronto. As a result, single-use plastic bag use by Sobeys, Sobeys Urban Fresh and Foodland customers in Ontario has declined by approximately 73%.
On July 22, 2009, Thrifty Foods ceased providing plastic carry out bags. Customers are encouraged to use reusable bags, but still have the option of being provided with paper bags. Since then, Thrifty Foods stores have stopped approximately 27 million plastic bags from going to landfills annually and with the support of our customers have been able to reduce the amount of single-use bags by 66%.
Our national efforts in raising customer awareness of our Green Bags for Life reusable shopping bags, coupled with region-specific plastic bag reduction initiatives and the active engagement of our front line staff have resulted in a company-wide reduction in single-use plastic bags by more than 54% compared to plastic bag usage in 2005.
