welcome back the glory days of the bayong
Description:
Supermarket offers reusable bags
By Kate V. Pedroso
Inquirer
Last updated 04:22am (Mla time) 06/17/2007
http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/talkofthetown/view_article.php?article_id=71730
MANILA, Philippines—The GreenBag, a reusable shopping bag made of durable nonwoven fabric, was introduced to 29 SM supermarkets across the country last week.
“It’s a response to a concern in the environment—shopping bags contributing to solid waste,” said Chito Macapagal, vice president for Corporate Development of Unilever Philippines.
SM approached Unilever in January, looking for a partner to help it to launch a reusable shopping bag. The result: a 19-by-17-inch bag—approximately the size of two regular shopping bags. It is the first project of the SM Concerned and Responsible Eco-Shoppers program (SM Cares).
Ingredients:
Made of 100-percent polypropylene, the GreenBag may not be biodegradable, but it is recyclable. Polypropylene, also known as PP or Plastic No. 5, is nontoxic and allergy free. It is often used for food containers, toothbrushes and surgical fabrics.
“Our estimate is that one can reuse it for two years for weekly shopping,” Macapagal said, adding that SM and Unilever are looking into the possibility of making the bag biodegradable someday.
Imported
The bag is imported from China. “We had to import it initially, but we are hoping we can get a local (source),” Macapagal said.
Since the program started, some 20,000 GreenBags have been imported and distributed to the participating supermarkets. The response was so overwhelming that the supplies ran out in a matter of days.
“A beautiful problem,” was how SM and Unilever call it.
For the first three months, the two firms targeted around 50,000 bags a month for all the stores. “This is just the initial forecast,” said Pong Ejercito, Unilever’s vice president for Consumer Development.
Directions:
Cut use of plastic
“There is that level of environmental consciousness, after all, which is a very good sign,” he said.
For its initial run, the bags cost between P3 million and P4 million.
Macapagal said the purpose of the GreenBag was not to eradicate the use of plastic, but to start a new shopping habit—the responsible use of grocery bags among SM supermarket customers.
Yellow tag items
In a year’s time, the two companies are hoping that the GreenBags will reduce the volume of plastic bags used in SM supermarkets by 10 to 15 percent. They are targeting a reduction of around 30 percent in the second year, and by 50 percent in the third.
Initially, the bag may be obtained via a promo, which will run until September. Under the promo, every P500 worth of SM Supermarket yellow tag items and at least one Unilever product entitle the customer to one free bag, provided that only one bag can be claimed per visit.
“This is to make sure that as many people can get hold of the bag,” said Richie Romero, area customer manager for Unilever.
To encourage the use of the bag, SM Advantage Card holders will get two reward points—equivalent to around P2—every time they use a GreenBag for their groceries, provided that only a maximum of three GreenBags may be used per transaction.
SM Advantage is a customer loyalty program of SM that rewards customers with points for every purchase in its department stores, supermarkets and affiliate stores. The accumulated points can be used to redeem certain items.
“On a regular shopping trip, you only get half a point for every P200 purchase, but the use of a GreenBag gets you 2 points,” Macapagal said.
Subsidized
The bags are planned to be sold for a minimal price. “Hopefully, we’ve generated enough interest for people to be willing to part with a little of their money to buy it themselves, but on a highly subsidized rate,” he said.
“What is the value of a consumer having to pay for a green bag? It’s their own participation in what you call consumer social responsibility,” he said. “When people put in their small amount of contribution, it would mean much more than just getting it as a freebie.”
With the reward points system, continued reuse will lead to the bag actually paying for itself.
(Pedroso is on the staff of Inquirer Research.)
Copyright 2007 Inquirer. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
RELATED STORIES:
Break the habit
Baguio wants ‘bayong’ used in groceries
Greening of shopping bags
To subscribe to the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper in the Philippines, call +63 2 896-6000 for Metro Manila and Metro Cebu or email your subscription request here.
Supermarket offers reusable bags
By Kate V. Pedroso
Inquirer
Last updated 04:22am (Mla time) 06/17/2007
http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/talkofthetown/view_article.php?article_id=71730
MANILA, Philippines—The GreenBag, a reusable shopping bag made of durable nonwoven fabric, was introduced to 29 SM supermarkets across the country last week.
“It’s a response to a concern in the environment—shopping bags contributing to solid waste,” said Chito Macapagal, vice president for Corporate Development of Unilever Philippines.
SM approached Unilever in January, looking for a partner to help it to launch a reusable shopping bag. The result: a 19-by-17-inch bag—approximately the size of two regular shopping bags. It is the first project of the SM Concerned and Responsible Eco-Shoppers program (SM Cares).
Ingredients:
Made of 100-percent polypropylene, the GreenBag may not be biodegradable, but it is recyclable. Polypropylene, also known as PP or Plastic No. 5, is nontoxic and allergy free. It is often used for food containers, toothbrushes and surgical fabrics.
“Our estimate is that one can reuse it for two years for weekly shopping,” Macapagal said, adding that SM and Unilever are looking into the possibility of making the bag biodegradable someday.
Imported
The bag is imported from China. “We had to import it initially, but we are hoping we can get a local (source),” Macapagal said.
Since the program started, some 20,000 GreenBags have been imported and distributed to the participating supermarkets. The response was so overwhelming that the supplies ran out in a matter of days.
“A beautiful problem,” was how SM and Unilever call it.
For the first three months, the two firms targeted around 50,000 bags a month for all the stores. “This is just the initial forecast,” said Pong Ejercito, Unilever’s vice president for Consumer Development.
Directions:
Cut use of plastic
“There is that level of environmental consciousness, after all, which is a very good sign,” he said.
For its initial run, the bags cost between P3 million and P4 million.
Macapagal said the purpose of the GreenBag was not to eradicate the use of plastic, but to start a new shopping habit—the responsible use of grocery bags among SM supermarket customers.
Yellow tag items
In a year’s time, the two companies are hoping that the GreenBags will reduce the volume of plastic bags used in SM supermarkets by 10 to 15 percent. They are targeting a reduction of around 30 percent in the second year, and by 50 percent in the third.
Initially, the bag may be obtained via a promo, which will run until September. Under the promo, every P500 worth of SM Supermarket yellow tag items and at least one Unilever product entitle the customer to one free bag, provided that only one bag can be claimed per visit.
“This is to make sure that as many people can get hold of the bag,” said Richie Romero, area customer manager for Unilever.
To encourage the use of the bag, SM Advantage Card holders will get two reward points—equivalent to around P2—every time they use a GreenBag for their groceries, provided that only a maximum of three GreenBags may be used per transaction.
SM Advantage is a customer loyalty program of SM that rewards customers with points for every purchase in its department stores, supermarkets and affiliate stores. The accumulated points can be used to redeem certain items.
“On a regular shopping trip, you only get half a point for every P200 purchase, but the use of a GreenBag gets you 2 points,” Macapagal said.
Subsidized
The bags are planned to be sold for a minimal price. “Hopefully, we’ve generated enough interest for people to be willing to part with a little of their money to buy it themselves, but on a highly subsidized rate,” he said.
“What is the value of a consumer having to pay for a green bag? It’s their own participation in what you call consumer social responsibility,” he said. “When people put in their small amount of contribution, it would mean much more than just getting it as a freebie.”
With the reward points system, continued reuse will lead to the bag actually paying for itself.
(Pedroso is on the staff of Inquirer Research.)
Copyright 2007 Inquirer. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
RELATED STORIES:
Break the habit
Baguio wants ‘bayong’ used in groceries
Greening of shopping bags
To subscribe to the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper in the Philippines, call +63 2 896-6000 for Metro Manila and Metro Cebu or email your subscription request here.
this is a major step to break the habit, i'm optimistic about it...
ReplyDeleteyep yep yep! especially since everyone buys from SM. in the meantime, we can bring our own bayongs when we go to the market =D
ReplyDelete