Coop Danmark has announced that it is giving away 700,000 reusable bags and giving members who use the new bags a one-krone bonus into their member account, each and every time they use them.
Coop will provide 700,000 of the climate-friendly, bio-based, reusable bags to members of SuperBrugsen, Kvickly, Dagli'- and LokalBrugsen, Facts and Irma. After this, the bags will be sold at the normal price of ten kroner (€1.35).
The bags were initially rolled out in the retailer's Irma banner earlier in June.
Climate-Friendly Recycling Network
The bags are made from sugar cane-based polyethylene, and they are considered more sustainable than conventional bags because they are made from renewable resources, said Coop. The reason that the bags are described as ‘climate-friendly’ is that their plant-based components take in CO2 emissions as part of the growing process, removing them from the air. The raw materials and production facilities are certified by the ISCC, a sustainability certification system for supply chains.
The retailer said that it will exchange regular plastic bags into a climate-friendly alternative for those who forget the new reusable bag.
"We make an effort to make Danes change habits. Instead of buying a new carrier bag every time they are in the supermarket, we want them to remember this bag, which can be used hundreds of times," said Signe Frese, director of corporate social responsibility with the retailer.
"Today's consumption of plastic is a problem we take seriously," Frese added. "The one-time bags we use and throw away quickly are not good for the environment. Therefore, we have developed a climate-friendly recycling network."
Positive Initiative
The president of the Danish Society for Nature Conservation, Maria Reumert Gjerding, welcomed the initiative.
"Genius! Finally, a solution that promotes the reuse of the carry bag, and even with an economic incentive for the consumer," Reumert Gjerding said.
"We could not be more positive. Recycling carrier bags is the best we can do for our environment. We hope, of course, that the solution will be permanent," she added.
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Aidan O'Sullivan. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
