New World announces major reward initiative

Media release

27 May 2008

New World announces major reward initiative to accelerate plastic bag reductions

New World Wellington today announced a major initiative to reward customers for bringing in their own shopping bags to accelerate plastic bag reductions. In June, customers at New World stores in the Lower North Island will receive 10 FlyBuys bonus points – the equivalent reward for spending $250 on groceries at New World – for consistently bringing in their own bags.

“New World is committed to helping shoppers to cut down the number of plastic bags they use. This is all about kick-starting a new behaviour – we think that offering people a reward will encourage them to take positive action, which is the first step in achieving enduring change,” said George Sutherland, General Manager Foodstuffs Wellington.

The initiative is being launched to coincide with World Environment Day, an annual United Nations event held on 5 June, which Wellington will be hosting the international celebrations for this year.

To get the 10 FlyBuys bonus points, people will need to shop and bring in their own bags at least once per week every week from 2 June to 29 June, and have their FlyBuys card scanned at the checkout. Customers will also continue to receive one standard FlyBuys point for every $25 spent.

Mr. Sutherland said that the initiative is expected to have a significant impact.

“As a result of the initiative we’ve forecast the total bags issued by New World stores in the Lower North Island to drop by over half a million in June. Because the initiative is focused on encouraging a consistent pattern of behaviour change, we’re also expecting to see a long-term drop in the number of plastic bags people use,” he said.

New World Wellington’s bonus FlyBuys initiative builds on a wider campaign launched in June 2007 by Foodstuffs to cut down plastic bag use across its brands. The campaign aims to meet the Packaging Accord’s target of reducing overall use of plastic bags by at least 20% by mid-2009.

“The campaign launched last year is making a real difference. The challenge is to reach people who may not yet have started to re-use shopping bags – this new initiative will give the drive to cut down bag use an additional boost and maintain the momentum of the campaign,” said Mr. Sutherland.

ENDS

For more information contact:

George Sutherland, General Manager, Foodstuffs Wellington, 029 446 224

Stores taking part in the initiative:

·        Carterton New World

·        Dannevirke New World

·        Feilding New World 

·        Flaxmere New World

·        Foxton New World

·        Hastings New World

·        Havelock North New World

·        Hawera New World

·        Hutt City New World

·        Island Bay New World

·        Karori New World

·        Khandallah New World

·        Levin New World

·        Marton New World

·        Masterton New World

·        McDonald’s New World (Taradale)

·        Merrilands New World

·        Metro New World (Wellington)

·        Miramar New World

·        Naenae New World

·        New Plymouth New World

·        Newtown New World

·        Ohakune New World

·        Onekawa New World

·        Otaki New World

·        Pahiatua New World

·        Palmerston North New World (Melodys) 

·        Paremata New World

·        Pioneer New World 

·        Porirua City New World

·        Railway New World (Wellington)

·        Silverstream New World

·        Stokes Valley New World

·        Stratford New World

·        Taihape New World

·        Thorndon New World

·        Waikanae New World

·        Wainuiomata New World

·        Waipawa New World

·        Waipukurau New World

·        Wairoa New World

·        Waitara New World

·        Wanganui New World

·        Wellington City New World

·        Whitby New World

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