Reward campaign boosts reusable bag use

Reward campaign boosts reusable bag use

A reward campaign by New World stores across the lower North Island in June has successfully prompted people to shun plastic bags for a more sustainable choice, with sales of reusable bags for the month leaping by over 70 percent.

The campaign rewarded customers with extra Fly Buys points for consistently bringing in their own shopping bags in a drive to promote long-term behaviour change and boost existing initiatives to cut down plastic bag use. Just under twenty thousand customers in the Lower North Island brought in their own bags during the course of the promotion.

“We’re thrilled with the results. Our data shows a big uplift in the number of reusable bags bought by both Fly Buys and non-Fly Buys customers, which indicates that the campaign was effective in driving change at a broad level. Store owners have also reported more people bringing in their own bags from home,” said George Sutherland, General Manager Foodstuffs Wellington.

“Now the challenge is to get people to remember to keep bringing their reusable bags each time they shop at New World.”

The plastic bag reduction campaign, launched to coincide with World Environment Day, rewarded customers who brought their own shopping bags at least once a week from 2 June to 29 June with 10 Fly Buys bonus points. Customers also continued to receive one standard Fly Buys point for every $25 spent on groceries.

The campaign is part of a wider programme that will help Foodstuffs meet the Packaging Accord’s target of a 20% overall reduction in the use of plastic bags by mid-2009.

New World Wellington’s top tips for remembering reusable bags

1.      Keep your bags in the car – try leaving one on the front-seat, it will remind you to get the rest out of your car boot before you start shopping.

2.      Tell your kids all about reusable bags – they’re more likely to remind you to bring your bags if they’re part of the action!

3.      Keep your keys in a reusable bag – that way you’ll never leave home without one.

4.      Make a reminder to bring your reusable bags the first item on your shopping list.

5.      Keep your reusable shopping bags next to your handbag, wallet or coat so you don’t forget them when you leave the house.

ENDS

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