Rewe International AG has announced that it will phase out plastic carrier bags for good, over the first six months of 2017. The move to offer customers more permanent shopping bags and paper bags only, will save more than 28 million plastic bags per year.
For the customers of Billa, Merkur, Penny, Bipa and Adeg stores the new paper bags will cost the same as the current plastic bags. Frank Hensel, CEO of Rewe International AG explains:
"Our goal is not merely to replace a throw-away plastic carrier bag with a paper bag, but to promote the optimum use of resources among our customers, by encouraging the concept of re-using and recycling. That is the consistent and logical path for us to continue on, after reducing the use of plastic carrier bags."
Surveys have shown customer support for the phasing out of plastic carrier bags - more than 80 percent of customers already uses more permanent alternatives to transport their purchases.
© 2016 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Martha Sparrius. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.
