Less waste: Rewe stops sale of plastic bags – WirtschaftsWoche

Rewe sold from July no more plastic bags. The Group still intends to sell remainders and then set them on alternatives about fabric and paper. Every year the mountain of waste should be reduced by 140 million bags.

Germany’s second largest food retailer Rewe stops the sale of plastic bags. This is intended in Germany annually about 140 million plastic bags less in waste land, as the company announced on Wednesday morning.

Instead of polluting plastic bags, the group wants to offer its customers in all its supermarkets alternatives of cotton and jute, as well as permanent shopping bags made from recycled materials, cartons and paper bags .

remainder of plastic bags are sold in the markets but until July, the company said. In the more than 3000 Rewe markets a week to buy a 27 million customers. In a three-month test phase, the company had tried to renounce the plastic bags in more than 130 markets.

The fight against plastic bags

• Why does the EU push the consumption of plastic bags?

  plastic bags are quite stable for their weight. But what consumers would be, can harm the environment. Hundreds of years, it may take until the practical carrying bags decompose in nature. Small parts are eaten by marine animals such as fish and birds.
  

• How many bags are used per year?

  12

  According to figures from the year 2010 every year a little less than 100 billion plastic bags in Europe in circulation. This corresponds to 198 bags per year and citizens, most of them disposable bags. Germany is doing well, according to trade association Germany (HDE). This is also thanks to the already widespread by the green dot recycling system. In Germany, consumption lies with annually 76 bags per capita, the EU Commission speaks with a view to the year 2010 by 64 disposable bags.
  

• Possible measures

  exactly. As things stand, every EU citizen to the end of 2019 only 90 disposable bags consume per year end 2025 only 40 bags. Quite thin bags that there are about vegetable counter would, but just as stable multiple bags not affected. Equally, it could be dispensing fees or taxes for retailers. Governments could choose – the main thing, the bag would no longer be free. Other measures having similar effects would be possible.
  

• What do environmentalists about it?

  ” What this means for consumers and consumers and in particular the retail redraws too awareness high and ökologischerem consumption, “says Leif Miller , national director of the Nature conservation Germany (NABU). The environmental organization European Environmental Bureau (EEB) is in principle also pleased. However, the organization would also ban specific novel bags desired. These give the favor of critics pretend to be biodegradable, although they are not there. This is, however, the European Commission investigate first.
  

• What does the plastics industry?

  the industry association PlasticsEurope argued while they support a fee for all pockets, no matter what material. But the possibility of national bans could create barriers to trade in Europe. The way criticized the FDP MEP Gesine Meissner.
  

A majority of consumers favor and accept the step, the retail giant summed up his experience. Nearly two-thirds of the surveyed customers wanted access to reusable tote bags or shopping boxes.

Not affected by the plastic bag ban at Rewe are, according to a company spokesperson provisionally the free transparent plastic bags containing about at the fruit and vegetable counter be used. But here will look for alternatives.

Further details will Rewe at a press conference with Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks and Naturschutzbund Germany (NABU) in the morning in Berlin known give.

From April to pay some money for dealers plastic bags consumers. The German Environmental Aid is not enough. Why it calls for a statutory levy and how traders should reeducate consumers.