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SINGAPORE: The charge for plastic bags in more than 20 NTUC FairPrice supermarkets and convenience stores will be extended for one more year from November 12 “following positive customer response.”
The one-year pilot of loading plastic bags in all 25 stores saved 15.6 million plastic bags and saw about 7.8 million bring-your-own-bag transactions, the supermarket giant said in a statement from press on Wednesday (November 11).
The same stores, except one that has been turned into a dedicated online fulfillment center, will be involved in the extension.
Plastic bags will cost the same after the pilot: S $ 0.20 and S $ 0.10 per transaction at supermarkets (FairPrice, FairPrice Finest, FairPrice Xtra) and convenience stores (Cheers, FairPrice Xpress) respectively.
About S $ 600,000 was raised from the plastic bag charges, and this will go to support environmental and community causes, FairPrice said.
READ: The plastic bag charge “is not a small step for Singapore” NTUC CEO
Approximately seven out of 10 customers who shopped at participating supermarkets chose to bring their own bags or declined plastic bags. Nine out of 10 customers did the same at participating Cheers and Fairprice Xpress outlets.
“The ‘No Plastic Bags’ initiative is part of the FairPrice Plastic Bag Management Program that aims to reduce the excessive use of plastic bags while encouraging a change in customer behavior,” said the CEO. from FairPrice Group, Seah Kian Peng.
“We are encouraged by the positive feedback from customers; the significant amount of plastic bags saved in this short one-year period is a testament to the increased public awareness for the environment.”
While most customers supported the plastic bag charge, there were others who demanded excessive plastic bags after paying for them, FairPrice said in the press release.
“We are grateful to customers for their support and understanding of this sustainability effort. Regardless of the challenges we face, we remain committed to the cause and encourage more retailers to join us in a collective effort to reduce the use of plastic bags, ”said Mr. Seah.
FairPrice says it is currently the only supermarket chain in Singapore that charges for plastic bags.
The participating points of sale are:
– FairPrice Xtra @ Hougang One
– FairPrice Extra at Kallang Wave Shopping Center
– FairPrice Finest @ 100AM
– FairPrice Finest at Zhong Shan Park
– FairPrice Finest @ Paya Lebar Quarter
– FairPrice Finest in Terminal 3
– FairPrice Finest @ Funan
– FairPrice Finest at Bukit Timah Plaza
– FairPrice Finest @ Valley Point
– FairPrice @ Coronation Plaza
– FairPrice @ Tai Seng
– Greetings in 1 Create Way
– Greetings at Sengkang Community Hospital
– Cheers at Tanah Merah MRT Station
– Greetings at FairPrice Hub
– Greetings in Caribbean in Keppel Bay
– Cheers at 611 Aljunied Road
– Cheers at 174 Holland Road
– Cheers at 30 Dunearn Road
– Greetings at 141 Bukit Timah Road
– Cheers at 751 Bukit Timah Road
– Cheers at 650 Dunearn Road
– Cheers at 870 Dunearn Road
– FairPrice Xpress at 384 Lorong Chuan