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Degradable Plastic
Bags
Ritchies are now using only degradable checkout
bags in all Ritchies Supermarkets and Liquor Stores.
Degradable bags are designed to break down
in landfill conditions and are a better solution for the environment.
They have a time controlled additive which means the bags
start to break down in 18 months after manufacture –
not hundreds of years!
The degradation process is activated by a time
controlled additive, and is accelerated by exposure to oxygen,
heat or mechanical pressure – all present in landfill
conditions.
Degradable bags can still be reused as a bin
liner or as a carry bag, and can also be returned to your
Ritchies store to be recycled.
The waste hierarchy promotes Reduce, Reuse
and Recycle – so first remember to bring your own reusable
bags or refuse a bag if you don’t need one. Calico bags,
green bags and other alternatives are stocked in all Ritchies
supermarkets.
However rest assured that if you forget to
bring your own reusable bags, the checkout bags used by Ritchies
will degrade and won’t be around in hundreds of years.
Our
Environment Strategy:
Provide
a more environmentally responsible service and product range.
Ritchies
supermarkets stock a range of products with reduced impact
on the environment.
These include products:
• organically produced
• made from recycled materials
• with packaging made from recycled materials
• accredited animal cruelty free
• reducing waste through their use.
Ritchies
has also developed a simple ticket label scheme to help identification
of these products and assist the customer in making more informed
purchasing decisions.
The
green "Enviro-stamp" shelf tickets can be found
on a range of products in each store and highlight Ritchies'
environmentally friendly product recommendations.
Reduce our own impact through improved environmental
practice at each of our locations as a part of our duty to the
wider community.
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| Ritchies Supermarkets
offer plastic bag recycling bins for customers to return
their used Ritchies bags. |
Ritchies
is working towards ways to minimise waste at all of our stores
through adopting a Reduce, Reuse and Recycle approach.
All Ritchies supermarkets provide a service to customers to
return their used supermarket bags for recycling. Additionally,
all Ritchies liquor stores provide a service for customers
to return natural wine and champagne corks for recycling.
The corks are donated to Make-A-Wish Foundation and help raise
money.
In
the year 2001, Ritchies reduced plastic bag usage across all
stores by an amazing 15%. Ritchies strongly encourages the
use of re-useable calico bags in place of plastic bags and
every Ritchies store stocks calico bags and strings bags for
customers to purchase.
At
various times throughout the year, Ritchies runs promotions
to encourage calico bag usage. An example of this is the calico
bag competition where customers who use their own bags are
eligible to win a calico bag filled with environmentally friendly
products.
Communicate
our environmental initiatives to Ritchies staff
and the wider community.
Ritchies
works together with a number of different organisations to
help achieve our environmental objectives. Building partnerships
is an integral part of developing a greater responsibility
to the environment and the community.
"En-ritching"
- Ritchies'environmental newsletter - is produced to keep staff updated on the progress
of our environmental initiatives throughout the stores. It
also provides information about general environmental initiatives,
and about the environmental activities of our other stakeholders.
"We
don't inherit the earth from our parents,
we are borrowing it from our children."
(Kenyan Proverb) |
