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A supermarket without disposable packaging? Possible and happening – Greenpeace report <\/strong> Montr\u00e9al \u2014 Greenpeace today released a report<\/a> that presents \u201cThe Smart Supermarket\u201d \u2014 a hypothetical store that has moved beyond single-use plastics and packaging. The report release coincides with visitations by Greenpeace volunteers to over a dozen supermarkets across the country as part of a Canada-wide week of action aimed at urging retailers to phase out single-use packaging and join the Reuse Revolution. \u201cOver 200,000 Canadians have signed Greenpeace\u2019s petition urging major supermarkets to stop distributing single-use plastics and packaging,\u201d said Sarah King, Greenpeace Canada’s Head of Plastics and Oceans. \u201cSupermarkets are the places where people encounter the most single-use plastics, and people clearly want change. A reuse revolution is happening all around us, and we\u2019re asking supermarkets to join it.\u201d As part of Global Refill Week from November 6th to November 13th, Greenpeace Canada volunteers and members of the public will have visited stores owned by Canada\u2019s largest supermarket chains including Loblaw, Sobeys, Metro, Walmart Canada and Overwaitea Food Group. People attempted to get their reusable containers filled with desired grocery or take-out items, and left cards on shelves and products with messages including: \u201cI wish this product came unpackaged,\u201d \u201cI wish this product came in bulk,\u201d and \u201cI wish this product came in reusable packaging\u201d \u2014 a call to the companies to \u201cJoin the Reuse Revolution.\u201d Greenpeace\u2019s in-store activities revealed that the acceptance of containers for refill varies across the big chains, and across each company\u2019s stores. Some locations accepted containers for prepared food; however, most stores are not equipped with systems to allow customers to weigh their containers for bulk purchases. Greenpeace found that reusable and returnable packaging is largely non-existent, while refill opportunities are limited to mainly dry goods, where bulk options are offered. \u201cReuse and refill models are not present in any significant way across Canada\u2019s retail sector,\u201d added King. \u201cCustomers trying to avoid disposables and plastic waste cannot succeed at the big chains, but it shouldn\u2019t be on each individual to try to dodge plastic while grocery shopping. We urgently need smarter supermarkets, and retailers and consumer goods companies must work together to prioritize real solutions that end our dependence on throwaway plastic for good.\u201d As retailers grapple with how to transition away from throwaway packaging, the Smart Supermarket report outlines examples from around the world — throughout store aisles to the checkout counter — of supermarkets moving beyond single-use plastics and packaging. Some of the ways that supermarkets are making solutions work in various places around the world include: laser food labeling on unpackaged produce; bulk buying dispensers and self-service weighing scales; concentrate and refill format for personal care and cleaning products; reward options for reusable cups and containers with on-site return options; rent-a-bag schemes for customers who forget to bring their own; and deposit-return schemes for reusable packaging offered online and offline. The report acknowledges the benefits and challenges of each potential solution and urges retailers and consumer goods companies to work together to accelerate a systematic shift away from single-use plastics and towards reuse systems. In October and November, various zero waste and circular economy conferences and festivals are being held in Canada, convening representatives from companies, government and the public to discuss waste reduction strategies. Greenpeace has been urging companies to rethink product delivery and to avoid relying on false solutions that do not support circularity, do not reduce overall waste, and perpetuate the linear, disposable product delivery models. END<\/p>\n\n <\/p>\n\n The report is available <\/strong>here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong> Greenpeace also released a report on false solutions<\/strong><\/a> to the plastic pollution crisis in September.
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Photos <\/strong>here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
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