Campaigners shocked by Foodstuffs' plastic bag backtrack

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Tue, 01 Sep 2009 12:00a.m.

A group campaigning to reduce plastic waste is astonished that Wellington's New World and Four Square stores have dropped a compulsory bag charge only a month after they introduced it.

Foodstuffs said shoppers could now choose whether or not to pay the 5c charge on each plastic bag, which was introduced on August 3.

The backtrack applied only to Lower North Island stores where resistance had been strongest, the Dominion Post reported.

"An optional charge is a farce," said Sue Coutts, from the GetReal campaign team.

"The only people likely to pay are the ones that care enough to bring their own bags in the first place."

The policy change was "pretty bad timing" for the company, as Keep New Zealand Beautiful clean-up week got under way on Friday, with New World a major sponsor, Ms Coutts said.

Both Foodstuffs and key competitor Progressive Enterprises signed the Packaging Accord in 2004 which set a goal of reducing the number of bags used by a fifth (144 million bags) this year.

The Warehouse, which has charged 10c a bag since April, has reported a dramatic reduction in the number of plastic bags used.

NZPA

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Comments [27]

rapsac

10 Sep 2009 4:36p.m.

@MD - The plastic bag charge has reduced usage by 60% percent. Your are just plain wrong. @Kai - No, it's not profit - the money goes to various charities - in the South Island, they have already donated $50000 to the D.O.C. @Kate - I'm ashamed to live in the same city as you. @Pauleen - Neither your writing nor your convictions make sense. @Nita - Laziness is no excuse for not supporting the plastic bag charge. A packet of your cigarettes cost more than 40 times as much per shop. @Rick - It's very easy to trot out pre-cast slogans. So what do you intend to do? Let the turd lie there? I say you are not politically incorrect. You're just incorrect. @Steve - Common sense is not common - as demonstrated by your lack of it. Plastic bags make up a significant proportion of landfill waste. If you don't start somewhere, you'll never start. Go the South Island!!!!

01 Sep 2009 10:44p.m.

Charging for plastic bags doesn't necessarily mean a reduction in plastic bags being used. I for one am finding myself using more plastic bags after NW introduced the new policy (the thinner grocery ones, which staff sometimes helpfully provide for free for frozen meat product). Re. Warehouse charges I guess I learnt it the hard way... I wasn't aware of the charges when they introduced it and the staff only asked if I need a bag with my purchase. Couldnt see why not I said sure to later found out they've charged 10cents without actually mentioning it...

01 Sep 2009 10:44p.m.

Nathalie

01 Sep 2009 9:24p.m.

Has New World/Four Square fallen of it's trolley?? Does New World Wellington not offer paper bags, like Auckland? So much for NZ being clean & Green. Shame on you New World and Four Square!!! Why is it that the rest of the world can manage without plastic, but not Wellington?

Julia

01 Sep 2009 4:11p.m.

Why cant New World and Foodtown use biodegradable plastic bags like Farmers Trading Co.

Kai

01 Sep 2009 3:59p.m.

5c or10c per plastic bag has nothing to do with environment saving. That's just extra profit to the shops. they improve profit, not a healthy environment. If they would really care about the environment they should go back to paper bags.

Kate

01 Sep 2009 3:22p.m.

Great news - I've refused to pay a bag-charge (and there's no five-cent currency anyway!)so have only shopped rarely and/or minimally at N W since the bag-charge was imposed - it was great to be able to do a large shop there today. I always take my own bag(s) with me, but nevertheless, I still need plastic bags and put them to good use afterwards. While I've been happy to support non-bag-charging supermarkets, they unfortunately don't carry the product range that New World does.

Pauleen

01 Sep 2009 2:45p.m.

I don't know what the fuss is about the plastic bags,I too have tryed to store things in them but find after awhile they end up like the old lux soap flakes, so get real ppl and stop taking more money off ppl who can't afford it.I go to a super-market that does not charge for plastic bags.

Nita

01 Sep 2009 1:59p.m.

I too am passionate about our environment and the world we live in.Because of our business we buy at least $200 worth of groceries a week.We are in a recession and look for the best possible price for our goods. I don't see why we should be penalise by having to be charged for plastic bags when I would need at least 10 or more environmental bags to take into the shop every time I shopped! As other people have said, these bags a recyclable for many uses. If this country wants to make a difference, it is about time they targeted the way companies package their products.We need to be thinking of all the waste going into our landfills and the pollution from councils and businesses entering into our water ways because it is the cheapest option for them. Plastic bags are the least of our worries.

Rick

01 Sep 2009 1:56p.m.

Another excellent kick in the pants for political correctness.

Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.