The bags were not provided at the new Metro Herne Bay store that opened last week. And from July 25, 19 other stores of the company will join them in a pilot to remove the bags, with the aim of making the change permanent across the motu next year.
Countdown Fresh Food leader Pieter de Wet said Countdown is committed to sustainability goals and also wants to get ahead of possible future government bans.
“The indication is that by the middle of next year it would be something that New Zealand would like to introduce across the industry – and we think this is the start of getting us there faster.”
Most single-use plastic shopping bags will be banned in New Zealand from July 1, 2019, but an exception was made for product bags, garbage bags and dog waste bags.
Countdown currently uses about 50 million single-use plastic bags per year, but the Act said many customers had said the bags were not needed and they could have done just fine without it.
“Some bring their own bags, some use their shopping bags that they already bring to the store, and some put the products in their baskets or trolleys.”
The supermarket is considering alternative bags that are more environmentally friendly, and plans to seek feedback from shoppers in the pilot stores to see if there is anything stores can do to help them shop without the bags.
Greenpeace said Countdown’s plan to remove the plastic bags would be a positive step, but more could be done.
The environmental group’s plastics campaigner said it was the right time for the government to consider limiting plastic in other products, such as bottled drinks.
“Our government needs to be much bolder and more ambitious in banning unnecessary single-use plastic items.
“We’re sold a billion plastic bottles a year…so they’re clearly one of the biggest culprits, and they’re the best place to start.”
Lee also appealed to Countdown not to replace single-use plastic bags with paper, saying this still caused too much unnecessary environmental damage.
My only caveat is that replacing one single-use item with another single-use item isn’t the answer.
“What we really need is to move to more circular options – reusable options.”