Spar goes green with new shopping bags

Spar gave the fight against pollution the green light on Friday by launching a new range of eco-friendly shopping bags that would make Mother Nature proud.

This initiative is aptly called #RethinkTheBag.

The retail giant introduced a brown shopping bag, a woven bag and a larger bag called a taxi shopping bag while addressing members of the media at Emperor’s Palace in Kempton Park.

Spar has also made changes to its plastic bag, which now contains eight per cent calcium. This means that it takes less energy to make, which minimises its carbon footprint.

 “Even when disposed of properly, plastic bags can take up to 400 to a 1 000 years to decompose,” said South Rand divisional marketing director, Martin Webber.

“We want to encourage our shoppers to buy the Spar alternative bags, which are biodegradable, recyclable and reusable,” he added.

According to Alison Zweers, managing director of Spar Lowveld, Spar’s large presence in South Africa creates the perfect platform to raise awareness about plastic pollution.

“We can make a meaningful difference in our communities.”

For now, these communities include the South Rand, North Rand and the Lowveld, where the initiative will first take flight.

“Education on plastic pollution is not enough. People need regular access to responsible alternatives if behaviours are to change,” Zweers concluded.

By looking out for these eco-friendly bags, local shoppers can already start to do their bit.

As author of Going Green Simon Gear said to the crowd, “It would take more resources to sort Mars out than it would to protect our own planet. Let’s take care of this jewel.”