Coop Sweden has conducted a survey into plastic-bag usage in its supermarkets, showing that customers carry home, on average, 2.2 new plastic bags a week.
The survey showed that consumers between the ages of 36 and 45 are using an average of three new bags per week, with 11% of this age group saying that they use between six and nine bags.
However, those over the age of 65 use only 1.2 new plastic bags per week, on average, with 43% saying that they don't use any.
The data also shows that men purchase more plastic bags than women, while shoppers in big cities use more than those in the rest of the country.
Plastic Reduction
Coop Sweden has been taking steps to encourage its customers to use fewer plastic bags, in line with the country's new regulations, which came into effect on 1 June.
The new law requires retailers to inform customers about the environmental impact of plastic bags, in an effort to reduce annual consumption to 90 bags per person by 2019.
Coop Sweden has already introduced several initiatives to reduce plastic-bag usage in its stores.
In 2014, the retailer stopped selling oil-based plastic bags, replacing them with environmentally friendly alternatives made from sugar cane and recycled materials. The bags cost SEK 2 (€0.20) each, to discourage customers from using more than they need.
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Sarah Harford. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
