Portuguese supermarket chains Continente and Pingo Doce have launched new initiatives, with the aim of reducing plastic usage.
Continente will replace single-use packaging with environmentally friendly plastic bags that are made of 80% recycled material and are 100% recyclable.
The new bags have a thickness above 50 microns and meet environmentally friendly criteria.
Several internal and independent quality tests were carried out to make sure that the strength of the new bags is on par with the previously available version.
The reusable raffia bags will also be available at the retailer's outlets.
The launch of these eco-friendly bags is only the first of several concrete measures for promoting a more responsible use of plastic by Sonae MC.
Preserving Oceans
Starting January 2019, Pingo Doce will replace plastic bags sold in its stores with a bag made of at least 80% recycled post-consumption plastic.
Pingo Doce's new plastic bags will be launched under the 'Amar o Mar' ['To Love the Sea'] programme, which includes a series of initiatives to preserve the oceans.
The company noted that the initiative will promote 'the principles of a circular economy, while sensitising consumers to the importance of waste separation and recycling'.
It further noted, 'The bag is an example of how it is possible to give a new use to already used plastics, avoiding the production and, consequently, the entry of new plastic into the market, and thus reducing the consumption of fossil resources.'
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Branislav Pekic. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
