Reusable bags lined up for supermarket shoppers

By ANNE BESTON environment reporter

Reusable supermarket bags are going on sale around the country, with big retailers waiting to see if they can compete with plastic.

Foodstuffs New Zealand, owner of Pak'N Save and New World, is stocking shelves with 20,000 cotton, reusable bags while competitor Progressive Enterprises scrambles to follow suit. The Warehouse is also doing its own line in reusable bags.

The cotton, Asian-made Foodstuffs bags are selling at Pak'N Save for $2.25 as opposed to the company's yellow plastic bag which sells for 15c.

"We're pretty encouraged by initial sales. We're supplying them at cost. There is no profit involved," said Foodstuffs Auckland managing director Tony Carter.

Through the Waste Forum, Auckland councils have supported the move, sourcing the bags and helping to promote the campaign.

Auckland Regional Council spokeswoman Jocelyn Rennie said the council stipulated the bags should be made without child labour and preferably of pure cotton.

Progressive Enterprises is testing the bags at its Johnsonville and Waiheke supermarkets only, said its chief operating officer, Richard Umbers. "If they're a success, I would hope to do a national launch."

The company, which owns Foodtown, Woolworths, Price Chopper and Big Fresh stores, has ordered 1000 Indian-made bags to be sold for between $2 and $3.

Ms Rennie said that although plastic carry bags made up only a small percentage of rubbish going to landfills, reusable bags were an important step in getting people to think about recycling.

It is estimated that New Zealanders use more than 2.2 million plastic bags each week, less than 1 per cent of total waste going to landfill.

But each bag takes about 500 years to break down.