A MARKET-leading initiative to reduce the number of plastic bags handed out in Co-op stores has been a huge success.
The East of England Co-operative Society decided to stop giving away free plastic bags in all its food stores and petrol forecourts in September.
More than half-a-million carrier bags have been saved every week since the scheme began.
That is equal to more than seven million bags in the past three months, an estimated 28 million bags per year.
The society says this saving amounts to about 84 per cent of the plastic bags it used to give out, which smashes Government targets and beats all other industry averages.
Richard Samson, chief executive of the East of England Co-operative Society, said: “There’s no doubt that we could not have achieved such a big reduction in carrier bag usage without the support of our customers.”
Free Bags for Life are currently being given out to customers for every £20 spent until January 3.
The East of England Co-operative Society has 135 food stores and supermarkets and five petrol forecourts across Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex.
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