Tesco UK has replaced its standard single-use plastic bag with a new ‘Bag for Life’, which is composed of 94% recycled plastic.
The bags will retail at £0.10 (as opposed to £0.05 for a standard bag) and the funds collected from their sale will be invested in community development across the UK. Tesco decided to roll out the Bag for Life on a nationwide scale after a successful trial phase of ten weeks in Aberdeen, Dundee and Norwich.
‘Online customers will still be able to opt for single use carrier bags for their shopping or select a bagless delivery, which 57% of Tesco’s online customers are now doing,’ the retailer explained in a statement.
The retailer will also end its distribution of single-use wine carriers, and slash the price of its ‘Carry Me' bottle bag from £1 to £0.40.
Bag Reduction
Matt Davies, UK and Ireland CEO at Tesco, commented, “The number of bags being bought by our customers has already reduced dramatically. Today’s move will help our customers use even fewer bags but ensure that those sold in our stores continue to fund thousands of community projects across the country chosen by customers. It’s the right thing to do for the environment and for local communities.”
The change will come into operation on 28 August. Last month, it was revealed by the UK's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs that Tesco is the retailer that has distributed the most £0.05 plastic bags in the UK over the last 12 months.
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Peter Donnelly. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
