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Retail giants aim to rethink the plastic bag

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NEW YORK – Retail industry heavyweights Walmart, Target, CVS Health, Walgreens and Kroger have joined an initiative that aims to reinvent the single-use plastic bag.

The companies are participating in the Consortium to Reinvent the Retail Bag. Members collectively have pledged $15 million to the Beyond the Bag Initiative, which is inviting entrepreneurs and investors to pitch ideas that can help replace the 100 billion plastic bags used annually in the United States.

“The status quo has been shaken, presenting a unique opportunity to build back better and reimagine a more resilient and sustainable way of doing business,” Kate Daly, managing director of the Center for the Circular Economy at Closed Loop Partners, says in a July 21 statement announcing the campaign. Daly asserts that “unexpected and unprecedented collaboration is required” to find an alternative that can garner industrywide support and widespread acceptance among consumers.

plastic bagsNew York-based Closed Loop Partners says it will launch a Circular Accelerator, develop potential piloting opportunities and aim to make infrastructure investments in support of the development of market-ready solutions.

The announcement cites studies suggesting that Americans recycle just 10% of their single-use plastic retail bags, and that non-recycled plastic bags are among the top 10 items found on beaches and waterways around the globe.

The consortium’s Innovation Challenge will solicit innovative alternatives from around the world, with an initial focus on “game-changing sustainable bag solutions” that can be implemented in the United States.

“We know how important it is to bring our customers along on our sustainability journey, keeping in mind that most are looking for convenience with minimal environmental impact,” says CVS Health’s chief sustainability officer Eileen Howard Boone, who also serves as the retailer’s senior vice president, corporate social responsibility and philanthropy. “This collaboration with Target, Walmart and other like-minded retailers and innovators allows for collective reach that can be truly impactful.”

Kathleen McLaughlin, executive vice president and chief sustainability officer at Walmart, adds, “By coming together to tackle the problem, we aim to accelerate the pace of innovation and the commercialization of sustainable solutions. Through efforts like the Innovation Challenge and the Circular Accelerator, we hope the Beyond the Bag Initiative will surface affordable, practical solutions that meet the needs of customers and reduce plastic waste.”

Amanda Nusz, vice president of corporate responsibility for Target, says, “We believe in serving our guests and communities with actions that reduce our footprint on the planet. We’re proud to partner with Closed Loop Partners and other leading retailers to take on a challenge facing the entire industry. We welcome others to join us in this collective effort as we aim to design a better solution.”

Kroger has joined the initiative as the Grocery Sector Lead Partner. “Our commitment to phase out single-use plastic bags across our enterprise and support innovative solutions on our path to Zero Hunger | Zero Waste aligns perfectly with Closed Loop Partners’ goal to reinvent the retail shopping bag,” says Keith Dailey, Kroger’s group vice president of corporate affairs. “We encourage other retailers to join us in this commitment and bid farewell to the single-use plastic bag for good.”

Walgreens joined the initiative as a Supporting Partner. “This consortium reflects Walgreens enduring commitment to advancing innovative ideas to address critical sustainability issues and our mission to champion the health and wellbeing of every community in America,” notes Alain Turenne, Walgreens vice president, corporate social responsibility.


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