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  Channel NewsAsia 19 Apr 07
100,000 plastic bags saved on Bring Your Own Bag Day

Channel NewsAsia 18 Apr 07
"Bring Your Own Bag" campaign gets mixed reactions

Channel NewsAsia 18 Apr 07
NEA hopes more Singaporeans will "Bring Your Own Bag"

Today Online 19 Apr 07
Mixed bag of reactions ... But most shoppers respond positively to Bring Your Own Bag Day
Gracia Chiang gracia@mediacorp.com.sg
Additional reporting by Daphne Chuah

SOME insisted on carrying their purchases in their hands. Many snapped up the "green" shopping bags on sale. Most donated a token 10 cents for each plastic bag they used. And a handful, predictably, got upset.

Used to being freely supplied with plastic carriers for their purchases, shoppers yesterday reacted to the first Bring Your Own Bag Day in various ways.

While some shoppers had taken along their own bags, the more than 200 participating stores from seven retailers saw longer-than-usual queues, as cashiers took pains to explain to shoppers what was going on.

At NTUC FairPrice in Toa Payoh HDB Hub, at least six out of 10 shoppers were willing to pay a token sum for every plastic bag taken or to buy a $1-reusable bag. The rest had either come prepared or decided they did not need a bag for their purchases.

The project, extended to the first Wednesday of every month, is initiated by the National Environment Agency (NEA) and the Singapore Environment Council. Donations will go towards the latter's funding programmes.

Said shopper Ms Nur Hafidzah, 30: "I think it's a very good idea to stop wasting plastic bags. I even managed to buy an extra sack of rice, because I could stuff all my food into the reusable bag I bought and sling it over my shoulder."

But Ms Iris Lim, 35, a sales promoter who was at Tekka Mall's Sheng Shiong supermarket, grumbled: "Sometimes you just happen to walk past a supermarket and go in to buy something. How can I be carrying my recycling bag everywhere I go?"

The MediaCorp hotline received a flood of calls from members of the public wanting to give their feedback--which ranged from the supportive to the angry.

Mdm Lim, for example, claimed she was "forced" to buy a plastic bag even when she insisted on carrying her groceries in her hands.

Another caller, Mr Richard Chew, said he and his wife did their grocery shopping once or twice a month, each time using more than 20 plastic bags for $200 worth of purchases. As it was not easy to bring along so many bags each time, he suggested a "use a reusable bag if your purchase is under $50" policy instead.

To placate the disgruntled, cashiers at some stores let shoppers donate any amount instead of enforcing the 10 cents per bag guideline.

But most shoppers were happy to buy the reusable bags--indeed, some stores ran out of stock by mid-day. A FairPrice spokesperson estimated that by evening, it had sold up to 10,000 reusable bags, and given out 30 to 80 per cent fewer plastic bags. Giant said it sold more than 3,600 reusable bags since the initiative was announced last week, while Cold Storage's figure was over 2,000.

NEA chief executive Lee Yuen Hee was "very encouraged by the positive response" and looked forward to having more retailers on board. "We hope that bringing your own shopping bag will become a trend one day. And our message to those who need the checkout bags for their purchases is, take only what you need and reuse them whenever possible."

Channel NewsAsia 18 Apr 07
"Bring Your Own Bag" campaign gets mixed reactions

18 April is the first day of the "Bring Your Own Bag" campaign, aimed at getting Singaporeans to use fewer plastic bags.

Plastic bags have become an acceptable way at the moment but the National Environment Agency (NEA) and seven supermarket chains hope to change this habit.

The NEA says it is encouraged by the response so far. In a statement, the NEA says at Giant supermarket in Parkway Parade, response was so overwhelming that reusable bags were sold out by midday and new stock had to be brought in.

Over at Carrefour in Suntec, some shoppers came with their own bags and those who didn't, bought one on the spot.

As for NTUC Fairprice, it says about half of its customers brought their own bags. The supermarket actually managed to reduce its use of plastic bags by about 30 per cent. It estimates it has sold between 8,000 and 10,000 reusable bags on the first day of the "Bring Your Own Bag" campaign, though some shoppers are still reluctant to take on the "Go Green" challenge.

"Well not all customers are used to the idea of using reusable bags. It really takes time and effort to persuade them to change their habit. But we can't do it overnight," says Gerry Lee, General Manager, Supermarkets, NTUC Fairprice.

Fairprice says it has also sold more than 90,000 reusable bags since it started the push for such bags in March last year, compared to 15,000 the previous year.

The NEA is also trying to change mindsets by getting shoppers to either bring their own bags on the first Wednesday of each month, or buy one.

So, when you go shopping to grab a few items, the cashier will ask if you want to buy a reusable bag for less than one dollar. If not, you can make a 10-cent donation to help environmental causes.

But convincing people to switch to reusable bags, is an uphill task.

"We have been using plastic for so long... we're not used to it if we use the recycle bags," says one shopper.

Channel NewAsia's YourNews hotline also received similar feedback. A Madam Lin said she is unhappy at being "forced" to buy a plastic bag for 10 cents, when she wanted to hand-carry her goods.

While a Mr Tan said charging 10 cents for each plastic bag is "unreasonable" and urged getting rid of the pricing scheme.

Even so, changing mindsets - and increasing the low two per cent of shoppers bringing their own bags - is going to be a long-term effort. The NEA says it will monitor public response to the campaign in the coming months and hopes more retailers will come on board.

The next "Bring Your Own Bag" day will be on 2 May. - CNA/yy

Channel NewsAsia 18 Apr 07
NEA hopes more Singaporeans will "Bring Your Own Bag"

SINGAPORE: With the first Wednesday of every month set as BYOBD (Bring Your Own Bag Day), the NEA is hoping that more people will be encouraged to bring their own bag when doing their shopping.

At the Parkway Parade Giant outlet, the response to the campaign, which kicked off today, was so overwhelming that the reusable bags were sold out by mid day and new stock had to be brought in.

However, at the Cold Storage Great World City outlet, the campaign was greeted with a lukewarm reception, with many of the shoppers unaware that it was BYOBD.

"I wasn't even aware there was such an event!" said a shopper at the Cold Storage Great World City outlet.

Promising to put more effort in raising public awareness about the initiative, the NEA said this initial response was expected.

Calling it "a small but important step", NEA Chief Executive Officer Mr Lee Yuen Hee said he hoped that bringing your own shopping bag will become a trend one day in Singapore.

Singapore consumes 2.5 billion plastic bags a year, which is equivalent to 625 bags per person annually, and the campaign hopes to increase awareness among shoppers on the need to reduce waste of plastic bags.

Besides Cold Storage and Giant, the other participating retailers are, Carrefour, NTUC FairPrice, Sheng Siong, Prime and Shop & Save. Together they run more than 200 retail outlets, and the NEA hopes more retailers will come on board.

Channel NewsAsia 19 Apr 07
100,000 plastic bags saved on Bring Your Own Bag Day

SINGAPORE: Singapore's first Bring Your Own Bag Day on Wednesday managed to save an estimated 100,000 plastic bags.

According to leading supermarket chains NTUC Fairprice and Cold Storage, they cut the number of plastic bags by up to 60 per cent. They also sold about 20,000 reusable bags.

At one Cold Storage outlet, most shoppers say they do not mind if they have to donate 10 cents to environmental projects for every plastic bag they take.

"If they donate it, it's up to them, right? But I think I'll bring my own bag. It makes more sense," said one lady shopper.

"I have no objection because it's contributing to the eco friendly system. I think it's good! For us businessman, for shopping we don't carry a bag! But for housewives, yes, if they have time to bring their own bag then it would be a good idea," said another shopper.

But not everyone agrees. "In the first place it's an inconvenience to me. On an everyday basis, some of us [are] in a rush, then it'll add up to a big amount. But I guess as a habit it's always good to recycle," says one customer.

Some viewers told Channel NewsAsia that paying "10 cents per bag is way too expensive". One viewer said she saw "two women who went shopping at a mart without shopping bags and brought the (NTUC) baskets home".

Others argued that for families who shop in bulk, it is "not feasible to bring over 20 reusable bags just for that one outing." There were also suggestions for supermarkets to waive the charges for plastic bags if you spend $50 or more.

So it looks like the habit of bringing your own shopping bag to cut down on the use of plastic bags will take some time to cultivate.

But with so many reusable bags available in all shapes and sizes, sometimes all it takes is a little planning in your shopping schedule and you too can do your bit for the environment.

One shopper says she has some 10 reusable bags, and keeps one in her car at all times. "You know you're going shopping. You know you're going to need bags, so why don't you just use [or] bring them!"

Some retailers, like furniture store IKEA, plan to charge shoppers five to 10 cents for its plastic bags from this Sunday. Therefore paying for the convenience may just be the start of a new trend in Singapore. - CNA/yy
links
Bring Your Own Bag Day on the NEA website

Related articles about Singapore: plastic bags efforts to reduce use of plastic bags, issues, discussions
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