Helsinki, Finland, 2016-Nov-02 — /EPR Retail News/ — Stockmann wants to be a forerunner in environmental issues and to reduce the amount of plastic waste and litter for its part. In order to reduce the amount of plastic bags, several actions including communications and advising will be introduced in Stockmann department stores during 2017. The actions are part of Stockmann’s commitment to sustainable development.
We introduce new more sustainable options for shopping bags
The selection of re-usable shopping bags will be renewed and expanded. Re-usable bags upcycled from Stockmann’s old outdoor advertising materials in co-operation with Globe Hope were on sale during the Crazy Days campaign, and already before, we have sold re-usable bags made from old sail-clothes in Delicatessen. Re-usable bags, especially those made of recycled or upcycled materials, are a great alternative for plastic bags, for which Stockmann wants to increase its selection of re-usable bags.
The new recycled plastic bags, made 90 percent out of recycled materials and tested over the fall, will continue as a permanent option in Delicatessen’s shopping bag selection. Also other more sustainable materials will be introduced in Stockmann’s shopping bag selection during 2017. In the process, the selection of the thinnest plastic bags, with least re-use opportunities, will be reduced.
We offer alternatives for plastic fruit and vegetable bags
Starting November 2016, the customers in Delicatessen will have a choice of biodegradable paper pouches and/or biodegradable bags for fruit and vegetables, made available along the thin plastic bags, without charge. Also re-usable fruit and vegetable bags with charge will be made available. These options have already been tested in some Delicatessen food departments, and now the practice will be extended to cover all Delicatessens in Finland.
We will gradually expand charging for plastic bags
Charging fee is an effective way to reduce the consumption of plastic bags, while a new shopping bag is not necessarily needed with every purchase. Paper and plastic bags in Delicatessen food department are already subject to payment, and during 2017 charging for plastic bags will be gradually expanded in the department stores for non-food consumer goods in order to reduce plastic bag consumption.
Until now, thin plastic bags have been available for our customers to grab at the Delicatessen and the Daily cosmetics cashiers. This service will be ended starting from the beginning of 2017. In the future, a thin plastic bag can be obtained by asking the cashier at Delicatessen. The distribution of Crazy Days shopping bags free of charge in Delicatessen will also be ended during 2017.
”We are constantly looking for new ways to reduce our environmental impact, and through this reform for shopping bags, we will reduce plastic waste. The sorting rate in our department stores is 99 per cent and recycling rate is 71.5 per cent, and we carefully sort and recycle plastics such as shrink wrap and other plastic film used in packaging”, says Stockmann’s CSR Manager Johanna Stenbäck.
Stockmann has made a commitment to reduce plastic bags in the Society’s Commitment to Sustainable Development. The commitment is based on the EU directive for packaging and packaging waste (94/62/EY, changed with directive (EU2015/720) that aims to reduce plastic bag consumption to a maximum of 90 bags per resident by the end of 2019 and maximum of 40 bags by the end of 2025. In Finland, the reductions will be actualized through voluntary commitments made by retail companies, as agreed by the Environmental Ministry and Finnish Commerce Federation.
Further information:
CSR Manager
Johanna Stenbäck
+358 46 876 1529
Source: Stockmann