“The idea came from listening to employees and customers who travel by taxi,” explains Sanjeev Raghubir, group sustainability manager.
He adds: “It’s also much easier to carry one big bag when walking or using public transport.”
Taxi passengers in South Africa are often charged extra for each bag they carry, particularly on busier routes. So, a larger carrier bag which can hold more groceries will save them money on every shopping trip.
Shoprite’s new red, 60 litre bags are 60 microns thick and more resilient, cost R4 and are made from the same 100% recycled material as the standard 24 litre carrier bags which are 24 microns thick and cost R1.
The 60 litre bag is also reusable and recyclable, supporting circular economy principles.
In 2013 the Shoprite Group became the first national retailer to introduce shopping bags made from 100% recycled content in its supermarkets.
The Group recycled more than 5,400 tons of plastic in the last year – that’s more than 600kg per hour – through its reverse logistics operations.
To promote a circular economy, the Group is also working towards ensuring that 100% if its own-brand packaging is reusable, recyclable and compostable, and that it contains on average 30% recycled material content by 2025
