As British shoppers start paying for plastic carrier bags, supermarket chain Tesco has announced that it will help communities across Scotland benefit from the proceeds of the new one-use carrier-bag levy.
Partnering with environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful, Tesco has launched the new environmental grant scheme, with £50,000 to be distributed to 200 groups across the country.
Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and the Environment, Richard Lochhead, joined Derek Robertson, the chief executive of the national environment charity, and colleagues from Tesco Elgin to make the announcement.
Over 27,000 customers took part in a vote to choose which charity should benefit from the charge. Community environment groups across Scotland are now being asked to apply for grants of £250 to help them in their local initiatives.
The grant scheme is the first project to be launched as part of Tesco partnership with Keep Scotland Beautiful, with further initiatives to be announced over the coming months.
Speaking on the new initiative, Lochhead said, “This milestone legislation to charge for carrier bags shows the Scottish government is taking the problem of litter extremely seriously and underlines our ambition for a more sustainable Scotland."
He continued, “Keep Scotland Beautiful’s partnership with Tesco is a positive example of how the money can be distributed to communities, and I look forward to hearing about the positive impact of these projects.”
Robertson added, "We welcome our partnership with Tesco for the good that it will deliver all over Scotland."
The Community Grant Scheme is an important first step in a year-long programme of activities that will change Scotland for the better, he added.
Greg Sage, community director for Tesco, said, “The new grant scheme is a brilliant idea, allowing us to give something back to the communities we serve and supporting local groups doing great environmental work in their area."
© 2014 - European Supermarket Magazine
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