Countdown customers embrace life less plastic

Monday, 21 May 2018

Countdown Ferrymead, in Christchurch, is one of 10 Countdown supermarkets to go single-use plastic bag free on Monday. Shoppers can buy an 'emergency' reusable bag, good for up to 20 uses.

Countdown managers were breathing a sigh of relief after the first day of plastic bag free shopping at 10 stores piloting the initiative.

Customers were encouraged to bring their own bags, buckets, baskets or wheelbarrows, but for those who came unprepared the stores offered a $1 reusable bag or a 15-cent 'emergency' plastic bag, which could be reused up to 20 times.

Staff at Countdown Ferrymead explain how the new system works to shoppers.

At Christchurch's Ferrymead store on Monday, customers had embraced the change, duty manager Haley Hawthorne said. Some customers came fully prepared, while others seemed happy to buy one of the reusable options.

Shopper Lou Warren felt the change was 'about time' and 'a no brainer'. She had stopped using plastic bags a long time ago and hoped the change would create momentum for a further reduction of plastic.

**READ MORE:

Shopper Martin Hetherington says he will 'reuse' the bag he bought in future.

* Countdown customers say other supermarkets need to get on board

* Plastic bag-free NZ: What to do if you forget your reusable bags

* Countdown chooses 10 supermarkets to go plastic bag free, rest to follow**

Shopper Wendy Reynolds says council rubbish bags are not thick enough to support rubbish without the help of smaller plastic bags.

'Theres a much bigger issue around packaging so hopefully this is the beginning of more changes.'

Missy Struthers says she uses plastic bags for rubbish bags, so the ban 'contradicts the point'.

Another shopper, Roz, said she did not agree with the introduction of single-use plastic bags to replace paper bags in the first place. 'We didn't get a choice, they just did it.'

Lee Jooala said she had already switched to reusable bags before the supermarket initiative. 'I think it's a really good move and I hope it continues with other companies.

'What people don't realise is the long term effect on the environment because they don't break down.'

But for Anthony Reed, the change was 'a complete shock'.

He supported the 'overall picture', but said he would have liked more notice and may consider another supermarket where plastic bags were available for free.

In Blenheim, Countdown customer Martin Hetherington called into the Redwoodtown store, but had left his reusable bag in the car so paid the 15 cents for an emergency reusable bag.

Shoppers can buy a reusable bag, pictured, for $1, or spend 15 cents on an 'emergency' bag.

'Plastic bags do affect the planet so it's a good idea to stop their use,' he said.

Shopper Wendy Reynolds said when faced with the prospect of buying a plastic bag, she decided to buy reusable bags because she would 'only have to buy them once'.

'But what about our rubbish bags?' Reynolds said. 'The council rubbish bags are not thick enough.

Countdown spokeswoman Kiri Hannifin says the business prefers customers to bring their own carrying devices, whether it's a 'bag, box, bucket [or] wheelbarrow'.

'We used to do up our rubbish in plastic bags then put them into the big council bags. But they're so thin, they'd break without the smaller plastic bags of rubbish.'

Shopper Missy Struthers said while she thought the ban was 'good', she also thought it 'contradicts the point'.

'I think it's good, but I use plastic bags for rubbish bags. And all packing is wrapped in plastic anyways,' Struthers said. 'But, that being said, every little bit counts and we need to start somewhere.'

Countdown was the first New Zealand supermarket to announce plans to remove plastic bags from its checkouts and online shopping service for good.

Signs in car parks and in store would remind customers of the policy change and the charge for a reusable bag if they did not bring their own.

Corporate affairs general manager Kiri Hannifin said the feedback so far had been 'overwhelmingly positive'.

Countdown Redwoodtown, in Blenheim, has started phasing out single-use plastic bags.

'We've been really excited and apprehensive because it's such a big change for our customers.

'We're really proud and thrilled with the overwhelmingly positive response.'

After these first 10, the remaining 172 Countdown supermarkets would go plastic bag-free before the end of the year.

But Greenpeace NZ oceans campaigner Emily Hunter said the use of heavier weight plastic bags was confusing and detrimental to the planet.

'These new thicker plastic bags are sold as 'emergency reusable', but while they could be reused a few times, their cheap price means they are likely to be used only once – flooding our environment with more, heavier, longer lasting plastics.'

Other retailers, such as The Warehouse, were switching to compostable bags, which did not decompose properly in the marine environment and would cause the same problems as single-use plastic bags, Hunter said.

Hannifin said the emergency bags would be made with 80 per cent recycled plastic and 20 per cent non-recycled plastic from August.

'We went with that because we couldn't do biodegradable or compostable because it wasn't right, it was just going to contaminate the land-fills.'

The emergency bag strategy would be reviewed within the year to see if customers were using them and recycling them.

'My view is that we have to move away from that as well, but it is a transition – we've got three million customers and not all of them are as keen as I am to move quickly.'

Hannifin said she was '100 per cent' confident further changes to reduce plastic and packaging would follow.

Customers and staff at the stores would provide feedback over 12 weeks.

REUSABLE BAGS:

Bag for Good ($1): Countdown-branded black reusable bags, which, once worn out, can be replaced for free. 150 uses.

Emergency reusable bag (15c): A 55-micron plastic bag. Any profit from the bag goes to charity. 20 uses.

Reusable chiller bag ($4).

A range of reusable jute bags (prices vary).