Reusable Bags at Local Grocery Stores
Posted by Chad Norman January 24th, 2008 .Are you becoming obsessed with plastic bags yet? I am. The bag phenomenon is everywhere. I mean, I’m hooked on my own canvas bag. Jen is blogging about becoming the “crazy bag lady”, and the other Jennifer started a project that gives them away. Then there’s the numbers: 100 billion each year in the U.S., less than 1% recycled, 1500 used in each 4-person home, etc. How did we get by without them just a few years ago? Why are we just throwing them all away? Why are companies paying for them? Whoosh!
I’m a realist - Even though my family’s “gone reusable” doesn’t mean everyone will - so maybe help is needed. For instance, Whole Foods recently announced they’re eliminating plastic bags from all 270 of their locations. This is good. Bi-Lo will give you 5¢ refund for bringing your own. This is also good. I’d like to see the other big brands follow suit.
Here’s a roundup of where the local big guys stand:
Bi-Lo
Bags: Plastic; Paper; Reusable bags for purchase.
Program: Refund of 5¢ per bag if you bring your own.
Earth Fare
Bags: Plastic; Paper; Reusable bags for purchase.
Program: Do not offer a refund for using your own bags.
Food Lion
Bags: Plastic; Paper.
Program: Do not offer a refund for using your own bags.
Harris Teeter
Bags: Plastic; Paper; Reusable bags for purchase.
Program: Do not offer a refund for using your own bags.
Piggly Wiggly
Bags: Plastic; Paper; Reusable bags for purchase.
Program: Do not offer a refund for using your own bags.
Publix
Bags: Plastic; Paper; Reusable bags for purchase.
Program: Do not offer a refund for using your own bags.
Whole Foods Market
Bags: No plastic; Paper; Reusable bags for purchase.
Program: Refund of 5¢ per bag if you bring your own.
2 Responses to “Reusable Bags at Local Grocery Stores”
- 1 Pingback on Jan 24th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
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Just a bit of a correction… I know that Earth Fare doesn’t offer a refund but they actually donate 10 cents to the local charity of the month for every bag you bring so you won’t personally save the change but your community will benifit which I think is really generous!
This is from their web site:
It’s important to work in harmony with the communities that nourish us. At Earth Fare, in partnership with our customers, we give thousands of dollars annually to small local non-profits through our Friends of Earth Fare Program.
Each month, we select an organization local to each store to be our Friend of Earth Fare. This Friend then becomes the beneficiary of our award-winning bag recycling program. The way it works is simple: each time a customer remembers to bring in a bag to reuse for groceries instead of taking another paper or plastic one, Earth Fare donates 10¢ for each bag to the local non-profit Friend of the month. Not only does this help everyone conserve non-renewable resources used in the production of both paper and plastic bags, it helps immediately impact the health of the community through supporting local organizations.