Co-op to introduce compostable shopping bags
The bags can be turned into peat-free compost along with the household food waste.
Shoppers at more than 230 stores across Scotland will be able to use compostable carriers from this week as part of the Co-op’s move to ditch single-use plastic.
The not-for-profit compostable bags are priced at 5p, the same price as the conventional single-use plastic bags that they will replace.
Iain Ferguson, environment manager, Co-op, said: “Our members and customers expect us to help them to make more ethical choices, and we are dedicated to doing just that. Reducing environmental impacts is, and always has been, at the core of Co-op’s efforts.
“The bags are carefully designed to help local authorities with food waste recycling, supporting their community and resident engagement and, reducing plastic contamination in a targeted way.
“We are working to get closer to what our members want, need and care about.
“We have committed to removing own brand plastic products, and the launch of compostable carrier bags in our stores provides an environmentally-friendly alternative to single-use plastic shopping bags.
“We face huge global challenges and our ethical strategy sets out a recipe for sustainability to source responsibly, treat people with fairness and produce products which have minimal impact on our planet.”
The first phase of the rollout is to Co-op stores in communities where the bags are accepted by the local authority in food waste collections.
The bags can be turned into peat-free compost along with the household food waste, and are approved for home composting.
The Co-op said its pledge on plastic will see all its own-brand packaging become easy to recycle by 2023.
All own-brand black and dark plastic packaging, including black ready meal trays, will be eliminated by 2020.
Almost three out of four products that the Co-op makes are now widely recyclable, which accounts for 95% of its products when measured by weight.
The Co-op’s strategy has been developed to meet the UN’s sustainable development goals to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all by 2030.
