IGA has announced that it will phase out single-use plastic bags across the next twelve months.
IGA National Retailer Council chair Ian Ashcroft said many IGA stores across Australia had already implemented this change within their stores and provided a range of alternatives.
The alternative range includes “cardboard boxes, boomerang bags and reusable bags,” he said.
“IGA retailers have committed to a phased approach that will fully in place across IGA network completed by 30 June 2018.”
The announcement was made just days after Woolworths and Coles announced they would phase out single-use plastic bags.
When I came in Australia in 2008 I heard about it nothing has been done in my little island we use our own bag
It’s a pathetic token gesture by all the supermarkets. They’ll replace single use with more durable (but still plastic) bags with their logos on them – and they still use too much plastic packaging across all stores (needlessly in the fruit & veg department). If they were really serious they’d be charging something like $2 for a plastic bag – basically forcing shoppers to remember to bring their own bags. 15 cents a bag is going to have almost zero effect on plastic consumption.
I hope this includes my local in North Ballarat who have been adamant that they are not thinking of getting rid of plastic bags. Have had some very curious excuses.
This is great news…….so long as they don’t swap the thin single use plastic bags with thicker plastic bags…ie the thicker type ones as used in small boutique shops……(just like they have ALREADY done in some states in Australia!!!!).
As good a this move is, supermarkets still have a long way to go……cling wrap plastic bags and polystyrene trays are all used in their produce departments and are all un-necessary.
What am i missing here, now i need to start buying garbage bags? Net difference more cost to me and zero improvement???
I will be buying bin liners and plastic bags at the checkout so what is this achieving apart from an increased profit for the supermarket.
Where am I going to source my plarn supply??? ????
IGA SHOULD provide single use plastic bags to ALL customers.
IGA should also advertise openly that they will not follow the Woolworths / Coles money grab, and will always provide free bags to customers, in order to assist customers to carry the goods that we buy in their stores.
If IGA provides free bags to customers, IGA sales will improve by 300% as everyone HATES Woolworths and Coles, for cheating people out of money through this hypocritical plastic bag LIE, when everyone knows, they just want to charge people to buy bags that any reputable retailer would provide customers for free.