CNN.com 09.04.07

Carrefour's reusable bag campaign that was launched on February 26th, 2007 in the UAE, aimed at creating awareness on the impact of plastic bags that pollute the ecosystem and encouraging shoppers to reduce their use, has registered total sales of 600,000 reusable plastic bags.

Available at checkout counters as an alternative to plastic bags, the Carrefour reusable bag are sold at cost price. "If they are damaged at any point, the bags can be replaced at any Carrefour outlet free of charge," added Jean Luc Graziato, Vice President of Marketing and Sourcing at MAF Hypermarkets (Carrefour).

Our Take: Here is an example of a growing trend among retailers - virtually giving away massive quantities of cheap reusable bags (even plastic bags in this case!) as a major tactic to address the problem. There is a host of problems associated with these kinds of "freebies". The primary one being - are consumers actually going to use these cheap shopping bags or are they going to sit and start accumulating in people's closets? (This is what happened in Australia). In essence we've merely replaced one "use and toss" bag with another!  Our advice is to own a handful of attractive, high-quality, bags that you really like and will use. Looking for suggestions? Visit our store

Link: Carrefour Announces 600,000 Reusable Bags Sold in Six Months

Comments

[Katte]

the trick to reusing these or other bags is getting them back into the car. then into the store. I use a clip on my back seat. I clip 1 bag to it and them toss all the others in it. When I go to the store I use the clip to attach it to the end of the cart. That way I remember/ the bagger remembers / and it doesn't take up space in the cart.