Shoppers and retailers like the idea of saving the planet. But it seems they like their plastic grocery bags even more.
In another setback on the path to eliminating single-use plastic bags, another grocery chain has given up the effort to convert its customers. Pittsburgh-based Giant Eagle is going back to plastic bags at the checkout, just one year after replacing them with reusable fabric bags.
“Unfortunately, we have not seen strong customer adoption of these reusable bags, with most not being reused and many likely being discarded after a single use,” a company spokesperson said in a statement. “With this learning – and knowing that the fabric bags are not recyclable – we believe a change in approach is warranted.”
The reusable bags were meant to replace the retailer’s previous paper bags, which themselves replaced plastic bags several years ago. Customers “were interested in a bag option that would help them more effectively transport heavier items,” a store spokesperson said at the time the paper bags were replaced. The new reusable bags actually looked a lot like regular grocery bags, with their squared-off handles and light tan color. And that may have been part of the problem, as some shoppers may not have realized they were meant to be reusable, or didn’t care to reuse something that looked like a bland grocery sack.
So after years of experimentation, it’s back to plastic. The good news is that Giant Eagle says its new plastic bags are made of 75% recycled material. “This new single-use plastic bag is reminiscent of the traditional plastic grocery bag customers have become accustomed to over the years, but with a significantly better environmental impact,” Giant Eagle explained. Shoppers will still be encouraged to bring their own reusable bags, or if they choose the plastic bags, to recycle them in stores.
It’s another example of how aiming to become more environmentally-friendly is not as easy a process as many had hoped. Kroger announced way back in 2018 that it planned to phase out single-use plastic bags in all of its more than 2,700 grocery stores. But that never happened. At last count, only about a quarter of Kroger’s stores have replaced plastic bags with reusable options. And the plan to eliminate them across the entire company is now on indefinite hold.
The most unusual recent change in this realm occurred in Oklahoma last fall. That’s when the local chain Crest Foods cheerfully announced that it was doing away with its paper bags and replacing them with retro plastic bags. The change was “due to rising costs,” the retailer explained, as it pledged to continue “enhancing your shopping experience while helping you save!”
Not everyone is giving up on environmentally-friendly options, though. At Whole Foods Market, reusable bag use has become so widespread, that the retailer stopped rewarding its customers for using them earlier this year. Stores had long given shoppers a 5- or 10-cent credit for bringing their own bags. But “with reusable bags now standard practice, this incentive program has achieved its objective,” a spokesperson explained.
As for Giant Eagle, its latest move is earning mixed reaction from shoppers. “Obviously, a step back. Reusable bags should be the only option but a lot of people can’t tolerate thoughtful stewardship of our environment,” a commenter on an article by the Cleveland Plain Dealer wrote. “Plastic bags should be outlawed. Biodegradable paper bags and boxes, and reusable fabric bags should be the only items available for use,” another suggested. A third commenter said “the state needs to mandate no more single use plastic bags instead of hoping Giant Eagle or other large companies will do the right thing. Reusable bags are easy, there’s no reason not to make them the standard.” And another pointed out that “although the new plastic bags claim to contain 75% recyclable material, it’s still a plastic bag, and would remain a disposal and litter problem.”
Giant Eagle, though, is defending its move as the best possible compromise. “Giant Eagle has been on a journey with our customers since 2019 to understand how we can best reduce single-use plastics across the communities we serve. This journey has provided many learnings, which have led to several evolutions of our grocery bag program.” The new plastic bags are just the latest evolution. Customer response may determine if it’s the last.
Image source: Giant Eagle
