Supermarket chains stop providing free plastic bags

MEASURE WELCOME, BUT ANYTHING BUT BREAKTHROUGH.

In the daily newspapers of 11 and 12 January, including de Volkskrant, it was reported that the joint climate plan of supermarket chains and wholesalers also includes the measure to stop providing free plastic carrier bags at the checkout this year.

The Climate Plan, together with the Climate Covenant between municipalities and supermarkets, actually constitutes the follow-up to the MJA-1 agreements between the national government and the entire supermarket sector (united in CBL) which expired on 31 December 2010.

These MJA-1 agreements for energy savings were, by the way, by no means met by the sector. The sector also did not want a follow-up in the form of participation in the MJA-2 or MJA-3 agreements.

The current plan is a unilateral agreement and therefore even more non-committal than the MJA agreements. In addition, it actually means a delay of about 10 years in achieving the objectives agreed in 1999 under the MJA-1 (back then, an energy saving of 32% was agreed, to be achieved in 2010 compared to reference year 1995. In 2008 - the last year reported - 11% had been achieved). The parallel with the 'progress' of the implementation of the packaging policy since 1989 is not coincidental.

Stichting Natuur en Milieu was asked by the CBL to play a role as supervisor / discussion partner.

Despite these remarks regarding the broader framework, the measure itself to no longer provide free bags at the checkout is, of course, welcomed by Recycling Netwerk.

After all, it contributes to the prevention objective in packaging policy, it leads to a reduction in litter and it leads to extra awareness regarding the environmental aspects of packaging, consumption and convenience.

Dutch litter research conducted by Oranjewoud shows that take-away bags make up 5.6% of discarded waste. This concerns a measurement of numbers (litter excluding chewing gum and cigarettes/butts), which is of course very different from a measurement based on weight or a measurement based on visual nuisance. "Take-away bags" can consist of paper or plastic bags. In addition, the "plastic" category in this study may also contain plastic bags.

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