Green Christmas Is In The Bag As Tesco Launches New Carrier Bag Initiatives

Tesco customers will be dreaming of a green Christmas this year as Britain’s favourite supermarket announced a series of new carrier bag initiatives designed to help bring an end to single use carrier bags.

Hot on the heels of its green Clubcard initiative which rewards customers with points for using fewer bags, Tesco – voted Britain’s greenest supermarket* - is now replacing its standard carrier bags with new bigger and stronger bags, making it easier than ever for customers to re-use bags, and dramatically cut the number of new bags they take.

The “better bag” holds more shopping than traditional bags and is stronger meaning customers can pack more in. Its added strength also makes it more suitable to be used again for future shopping trips. Recent trials showed a 39% reduction in the number of bags used in stores once “better bag” was introduced.

Following these successful trials “better bag” will be rolled out to more stores in the run-up to Christmas, when customers traditionally use more bags than any other time of year.

In a further move to encourage customers to re-use bags Tesco is also introducing a new range of its famous ‘Bag for Life’. Coming in a range of sizes, designs and materials, and at affordable prices, the new bags will build on the success of the original Bag for Life which has been in stores for 9 years.

So confident is Tesco that it can slash the number of new bags customers take home that it also today announced its intention to be the first retailer to sign up to a new Government code on carrier bags. Tesco hope the new code will enable retailers to work together to achieve a dramatic increase in customer re-use of bags.

Announcing the new initiatives Commercial and Marketing Director, Richard Brasher, said: “The success of our Green Clubcard points has helped our customers save over 200 million carrier bags since its launch just a few months ago. All of our research shows a strong desire by customers to use fewer bags but they also tell us that they need our help.

“With incentives to reward ‘green’ behaviour, better everyday bags and a range of re-usable options it really is easier than ever for customers to reduce the number of bags they use.

“Tesco is doing more than any other supermarket to help customers reduce, reuse and recycle carrier bags which is why we will be first to sign up to a Government code of practice committing retailers to a 25% reduction by 2008. We are well on our way to meeting this target and will look to do even more. I hope others will follow our lead and help their customers to do their bit for the environment.”

Notes for Editors:

1. Green Clubcard Points

Tesco launched its green Clubcard in August this year. The scheme rewards customers with points for not using new carrier bags. Since launch it has saved 204 million bags with customers re-using their carrier bags or opting to carry their shopping in something else altogether.

2. Better bag

The ‘better bag’ holds more shopping than ordinary bags and is thicker giving it more strength and making it reusable. In an 11 week trial across 14 stores customers reduced the number of bags they took from us by 39%. The new bags are also degradable and can be recycled.

3. Re-usable bags

Tesco introduced its first ‘Bag for Life’ in 1997. A new range of even stronger re-usable bags will be available in 640 larger Tesco stores. These bags will be available in two sizes and a range of designs.

4. Voluntary Code of Practice

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the devolved administrations have invited retailers to sign-up to a voluntary code of practice to reduce the use of disposable carrier bags. This is intended to build on retail initiatives such as Tesco’s green clubcard and extend good practice through a partnership approach between retail and Government.

*Tesco was voted the greenest supermarket by consumers earlier this year in an independent survey for the Grocer magazine.

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