GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Limiting plastic use is something that every single person can do to help the environment, but some companies are doing it on a larger scale. Among these companies is Meijer, who has joined more retailers in a national effort to get rid of single-use plastic bags.
“Meijer operates under the philosophy that to be a good company, we must be a good neighbor,” said Vik Srinivasan, Senior Vice President of Properties and Real Estate. “We are committed to lessening our impact on the environment and believe our participation in this initiative is an important step in keeping our communities clean for generations to come.”
The retailer is joining the Beyond the Bag Initiative, along with numerous other retailers like Walmart, Target, CVS, Kroger, and Walgreens, to replace plastic bags in its stores over the course of the next three years, according to abc12.
Last January, Meijer opened up a small store in the Detroit, Michigan, area that did not offer plastic bags, but the pandemic sparked the need to return to single-use bags.
In addition to trying to weed out plastic shopping bags, Meijer has been collecting used bags across its 256 stores since 2014, recycling nearly six million lbs of plastic bags a year. By 2025, the company hopes to have fully transitioned to compostable materials for the brand’s merchandise.
“Lessening our impact on the environment through increased recycling efforts is an issue that is important to us and our customers, and one that we are working diligently to address,” Erik Petrovskis, Director of Environmental Compliance and Sustainability, said. “I look forward to reviewing the innovative solutions that will stem from this collaboration.”
As sustainability continues to be a focus for retailers across the country, more and more are pushing for realistic alternatives to one-use shopping bags to limit their effects on the environment.
How will the retailer push forward not only in the grocery sector, but in its dedication to the environment? We at AndNowUKnow promise to report.
