Woolworths has launched a 12-store trial to remove plastic barriers from its stores for the advocacy of environmental sustainability, in celebration of Earth Day on April 22 under the theme ‘Planet vs Plastic.’
The eight week trial kicked off last Monday, on April 8 in four Cape Town stores: Table Bay Mall, Waterstone, and Plattekloof Village; and Palmyra Junction. The trial was extended to four stores across the Western Cape and another four stores in Gauteng - Hazeldene Square, Harvest Place, Benmore Gardens and Maroun Square. All twelve store trials are active.
Group Head of Sustainability, Feroz Koos, said that Woolies had a vision of zero packaging waste to landfill, it was an activist of the environment and committed to eradicate problematic plastics from its chain.
Koos said the retailer had managed to remove all plastic products, ranging from straws, cutlery, cotton buds, microbeads and single-use shopping bags: “The barrier bag is the last problematic plastic on the South African Plastics Pact list that we need to remove, and we are ready to work closely with our customers to eliminate it from our stores.”
Although plastic barrier bags are recyclable, recyclers experience challenges to due to their thinness. They are often contaminated with food, or waste products, therefore, and infested communities, rivers and oceans, and landfills.
Koos said that the retailer was committed to sustainable alternatives, “We have been working on viable solutions, like responsibly-sourced paper bags for loose fruit and vegetables in the trial stores, and absorbent mats in the fresh flowers area to catch any excess water. As part of our ongoing packaging improvements, we have also recently introduced rotisserie chicken packaging that is leak proof, thereby eliminating the need for a plastic barrier bag.”
Woolworths is a member of the SA Plastics Pact, with various stakeholders who are committed to end plastic waste and pollution.
The retailer will conduct research to assess customer response regarding the trial. If there is success, Woolies plans to remove 11 million plastic bags in waterways, oceans and landfills annually.
Saturday Star