Cutting carrier bag use
Since launching green Clubcard points in the UK in August 2006 to reward customers who reuse their bags, they have helped us to save over three billion carrier bags.
REUSABLE BAGS
We sell a range of affordable, reusable bags in every country in which we operate. The range varies from net shopping bags in Turkey, to paper bags in Poland and jute bags in the Czech Republic, Malaysia and Slovakia.In summer 2008 in the UK we launched a range of reusable designer bags by Cath Kidston. Each bag was made from nine recycled plastic bottles and we donated 50p from every sale to Marie Curie Cancer Care. Eight Cath Kidston bags have now been successfully launched with 900,000 units sold, raising £450,000 for the charity.
We offer customers one point for every bag saved; over 9.5 million Clubcard customers have benefited. Our customers are now using 50% fewer carrier bags than they did before we introduced the reward. This is in line with our commitment along with six other retailers to reduce the number of single use carrier bags by 50% between May 2006 and May 2009.
We now have a range of bag saving schemes around the world. For example, this year we launched green Clubcard points in Malaysia. In Poland we launched an attractive range of reusable and degradable bags made from recycled materials. In one year, Polish customers have used 50 million fewer carrier bags.
Following a change introduced last year, our staff in the UK now ask customers if they are reusing bags or need a carrier bag. This has encouraged even more customers to reuse their bags.
We believe this approach – encouraging customers to reuse bags and rewarding them for doing so – is more effective and sustainable than the alternative approach sometimes advocated of taxing bags or charging for them. We believe that climate change will only be tackled successfully if people are encouraged to change their behaviour willingly, and to be enthusiastic champions for a lower-carbon lifestyle.
A bagless delivery option on tesco.com was introduced last year which offers customers green Clubcard points if they choose to have their shopping delivered without carrier bags. Around half of our online customers currently choose this option.
TARGETS
- To cut carrier bag use by 70% by 2010
- Recycle 95% of our store waste in the UK by 2010
IN ONE YEAR POLISH CUSTOMERS HAVE USED 50 MILLION FEWER CARRIER BAGS
