Billa Czech Republic has announced that it will cease the sale of plastic bags at the end of 2018, replacing them with recycled paper bags and degradable polypropylene bags.
The retailer, which is part of Rewe Group, added that in the spring of next year, it will also expand its assortment of jute and textile bags.
Two heavy duty paper bag sizes will be available, with a load of 10kg (for CZK 3.90) and 15kg (CZK 6.90) respectively, while customers will also be able to purchase bags made of degradable polypropylene for 29.90 CZK.
"This is the next landmark in our sustainability strategy," commented Jaroslaw Szczypka, managing director for Billa CR. "We believe that customers will welcome this step towards even greater environmental protection and get used to new alternatives such as paper bags made of recycled paper and other more environmentally friendly options."
The group made the move as part of its long-term environmental strategy, it said, noting that plastic bags will remain on sale in its stores until the end of 2018 or when supplies run out.
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
