UAE – Carrefour, operated by Majid Al Futtaim in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is endorsing sustainable alternatives in its stores to celebrate the Plastic Free July campaign.
This initiative promotes the use of durable, reusable juco bags with attractive offers and rewards, while reducing the availability of single-use plastic bags across its stores in the country, as revealed by a press release via Zawya.
Carrefour is offering a 33% discount on its durable, reusable juco bags to commemorate the start of Plastic Free July.
Customers who bring their own reusable bags or purchase one in-store will receive five extra SHARE points. The retailer will also provide complimentary reusable bags for those spending more than Dh40 (US$11) in the fruit and vegetable section.
Starting on 3 July 2024, coinciding with International Plastic Bag Free Day, Carrefour will eliminate plastic bags from all its stores every Wednesday.
This initiative aligns with the company’s commitment to phase out plastic bags and promote sustainable shopping habits.
Carrefour is complying with the UAE government’s initiative to ban certain single-use plastic items from 1 June.
In addition, the retailer will start offering reusable bags thicker than 57 microns at affordable prices, in compliance with new regulations, to encourage the adoption of reusable alternatives.
Majid Al Futtaim Retail’s Senior Vice President of Human Capital and Sustainability, Samar Elmnhrawy, said: “With over 80,000 customers entering our stores daily, we see a significant opportunity to positively impact our planet and encourage sustainable lifestyles for future generations.
“This Plastic Free July, we are embarking on a bigger plastic-free journey to drive awareness and inspire positive change.
“Our efforts are aligned with the UAE leadership’s goals to eliminate single-use plastics. We hope to create tangible results that shift customer attitudes towards more sustainable shopping behavior for a greener future.”
In its dedication to sustainability, Majid Al Futtaim Retail has already partnered with BEEAH and Sparklo through its Reverse Vending Machine initiative.
This partnership resulted in the collection of more than 20mt of recyclables and the prevention of the release of over 125mt of CO₂. Carrefour has also seen a 70% reduction in the use of single-use plastic bags since the national ban.
Greenpeace’s plastic bottle stunt in NZ
Meanwhile, the Environmental non-profit organization Greenpeace has denounced New Zealand’s plastic waste crisis with a new video.
The CGI (computer-generated imagery) video shows Auckland’s Eden Park stadium filled with a billion single-use plastic bottles, representing the number of throwaway single-use plastic bottles sold yearly in New Zealand.
The video marks the first day of Plastic Free July, an initiative by the Plastic Free Foundation to reduce global plastic waste.
Greenpeace calls for a shift to a reusable drink model and a ban on single-use plastic bottles in New Zealand.
Greenpeace spokesperson Jessica Lee stated: “Individual action alone can only ever make a small dent in the plastic pollution crisis. We have to see action from the government to bring about lasting change.”
In 2023, the country implemented its ban on thin plastic bags as part of the government’s wider initiative to minimize the use of single-use plastics.
However, according to Greenpeace, these efforts are thwarted by major corporations such as the Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo. Break Free From Plastic has identified the pair as the world’s top plastic polluters.
Lee continued: “Over 100,000 people have signed our petition calling on the government to ban single-use plastic bottles, and we hope this stark illustration of the sheer volume of plastic bottles sold in New Zealand every year will prompt even more people to join the call.”
Greenpeace recently expressed its disappointment at the fourth round of talks for a Global Plastics Treaty in May 2024.
The treaty aims to end plastic pollution and forge an international legally binding agreement by the end of the year.
For all the latest packaging and printing industry news from Africa and the World, subscribe to our NEWSLETTER, follow us on LinkedIn and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
