Woolworths Taylors Lakes will be one of the first stores in Victoria to ditch single-use plastic bags.
The move, which takes effect from Wednesday, April 4, follows a commitment from the company to discontinue customer use of single-use lightweight plastic shopping bags company-wide by June 30 this year.
The commitment will bring about the removal of 3.2 billion lightweight plastic bags from circulation.
Woolworths Taylors Lakes store manager Andrew Thorne said it’s a proud moment for the store.
“At Woolworths we’re committed to listening to our customers and doing the right thing for the environment, and I’m really proud that Taylors Lakes will be among the first stores in Victoria to play our part in reducing plastic bag usage,” he said.
“We appreciate this is a big change for our customers and our team is already working to make this transition as smooth and simple as possible.”
In the lead-up to the cut-off date, store members will be speaking with customers regularly to ensure they are aware of the upcoming change and the alternative options available.
In-store prompts will also feature prominently as the date gets closer.
Going forward, customers will have the option to bring in their own bags or purchase a range of reusable bag options, which start from 15 cents.
Special REDcycle bins will also be placed in the store from mid-March for customers to drop off old plastic bags. Mr Thorne said the move is the first of many to reduce plastic use within the store. “Our move to be among the first stores to make the change shows we are committed to taking our environmental and local community responsibilities seriously,” he said. “The team continues to work hard to minimise our impact on the environment through various initiatives, including the minimisation of food waste. Our customers can also expect further commitments in reducing plastic throughout the store, particularly in fruit and vegetables.”
Toorak and Wyndham Vale will join Taylors Lakes as the first three Victorian Woolworths stores to implement the ban on April 4.
