Sobeys to become First National Grocer to Eliminate Plastic Bags


Sobeys eliminates plastic bags as first step in removing unnecessary plastic from retail and focuses on promoting reusable, sustainable alternatives that drive long-term behavioural change. Sobeys Inc. announced yesterday that it will remove plastic grocery bags from all Sobeys grocery stores by the end of January 2020. The change will take 225 million plastic grocery bags out of circulation at Sobeys’ 255 locations across Canada each year.

The move represents an important first step in the retailer’s journey towards eliminating unnecessary plastic from grocery stores. Starting with eliminating plastic grocery bags from Sobeys stores in 2020, the Company will quickly follow with phasing out plastic grocery bags and introducing paper bags in all other banners including Safeway, FreshCo, Foodland and others. The most immediate next step the Company will take will be to remove plastic grocery bags from IGA stores on Montreal Island in Quebec. IGA will also launch a campaign in September 2019 to encourage reusable bag adoption.

So many of our customers and our employees have told us loud and clear — they want us to use less plastic — and we agree with them,” said Michael Medline, President and CEO, Empire. “This is a first step, and we plan to make meaningful progress every year to take plastic out of our stores and our products. We decided to act now instead of taking years to study and only make long-term commitments. We’re taking action now, making a tangible difference today and into the future. This is a significant first step, but it’s only a first step. We need to go further, and we will.”

While the plastic grocery bags are phased out of each Sobeys banner, the retailer will launch innovative and unique programs to reduce plastics in other areas of the store and encourage customers to choose reusable bags that can be used repeatedly and returned for recycling at Sobeys stores.

Click here to view Sobeys latest flyers.


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