No more plastic bags say nearly half of Kiwis
Auckland, 30 May 2017. Canstar Blue survey reveals that for some, the environment is more important than plastic when it
comes to shopping bags.
The survey of 2,500 New Zealanders, showed that 44% of people said they thought shops should offer paper bags and 28% of
people thought shops should charge a levy on plastic bags, in order to reduce the impact on our environment.
Commenting, Canstar Blue spokesperson Emma Quantrill said:
“This is not a new debate for New Zealand but continues to rouse a passionate reaction. Across the regions, generations
and sexes, the response was pretty consistent so people are definitely thinking about the environment and the impact
they have on it.
“It has been estimated that we manage to use in excess of 1.6 billion non-bio-degradable plastic bags every year. With a
population of roughly 4.5 million people that works out at around 35 for every man woman and child in the country. These
bags are then either dumped on the streets, taken to land fill or head out into our oceans where they cause irreparable
damage to our marine life.”
The problems associated with single use plastic bags have been identified as a world, and not just New Zealand issue,
but unlike New Zealand, many countries have already taken measures to either ban or attached levies to plastic bags.
Countries to already take action include (but not limited to):
CountryActionIntroducedResultsIrelandTaxMarch 2002Over 90% reductionDenmarkTax on retailers200366% reductionWalesCharge appliedOct 2011Up to 96% reductionScotlandCharge appliedOct 201480% reduction reported in first yearEnglandLevyOct 201585% reduction reported in first year
Source: bigfatbags.co.uk
Action in New Zealand
Although there has been resistance to banning or charging for single use plastic bags in New Zealand, there are a number
of measures in place encouraging us to reduce or replace our use of plastic bags. One initiative launched in 2015 has a
number of soft plastic packaging recycle bins placed outside supermarket and stores in major centres across the country.
Collectively this has resulted in over five tonnes of plastics (including bags) being collected every week.
Quantrill goes on to say:
“It is obviously a delicate balance between trying to satisfy the needs of consumers and protecting the environment we
live in, but as awareness grows, the gap between the two is narrowing and our results show that there are a lot of
people who ‘want to do their bit’.”
New Zealander’s shopping habits
The survey also revealed a number of other shopping habits we succumb to:
• 68% like to shop for special offers
• 59% go to the supermarket closest to where they live
• 52% put the same things in their trolley every week
• 31% split their shop between a supermarket and specialty shop such as butchers or fruit stall
The Supermarket with the most satisfied customers
We are delighted to announce that the 2017 Most Satisfied Customers Award goes to New World.
With stores from Invercargill in the South to Kerikeri in the North, New World recorded a maximum five stars in four out
of five categories, as well as taking the ultimate customer satisfaction award.
For further information regarding this survey, please click here.
ENDS