Dutch retailer Albert Heijn has removed free plastic bags from its fruit and vegetables department, in a move that it says will save 243,000 kilograms of plastic per year.
From now on, customers can use sustainable fresh bags that are washable and suitable for multiple use.
Removal Of Plastic Bags
Shoppers use plastic bags at Albert Heijn to collect various items of produce, such as loose apples or green beans.
If not recycled properly, the bags can cause damage to the environment.
Previously, the retailer has tackled plastic bags in its grocery delivery services by allowing customers to return them to the delivery person.
The initiative enabled the retailer to recycle 645,000 kilograms of plastic (31 million bags) in a responsible manner on an annual basis.
Read More: Albert Heijn Rolls Out 'AH Packaging Free' Concept
Sustainability Efforts At Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn was voted the most sustainable supermarket chain in the Netherlands for the sixth time in a row according to the Sustainable Brand Index 2022, the largest and leading research in Europe in the field of consumer brands and sustainability.
To provide customers with insight into the steps being taken in the field of sustainability, the retailer's mission report for 2021 was published at the end of April.
In this report, the retail chain shares its progress towards a healthy, social, and sustainable society, based on its conviction that food and drink play an essential role in this.
© 2022 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest fresh produce news. Article by Conor Farrelly. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
