Danish retailer føtex, part of the Dansk Supermarked Group, has announced that it is to cease the sale of cotton swabs in its stores, in a move that will see some 44 million swabs removed from its shelves.
The retailer made the move following research from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), which found that plastic cotton swabs are one of the top ten products found on European beaches and in the water, and are regularly seen as 'food' by marine life.
føtex said that the move is 'another step' in the retailer's bid to step up efforts to remove unnecessary plastic from its stores. It recently announce that it was removing disposable plastic straws from sale in its stores.
'Ambitious Target'
"We fight every day to remove plastic from nature," said Bo Øksnebjerg, secretary general of the WWF. "Together with føtex and Dansk Supermarket Group, we have set ambitious targets to remove unnecessary plastic from supermarkets. Stopping the sale of plastic cotton swabs is a necessary and sensible step in combating plastic pollution."
føtex, alongside its sister brands Bilka, Netto and Salling, have committed to phasing out all disposable plastic straws by 2021.
"We hope and believe that our customers will help take another step towards the phasing out of unnecessary disposable plastics," commented Thor Jørgensen, føtex director.
Dansk Supermarked Group recently announced that it was changing its name to Salling Group, as of 1 June.
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
