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  Channel NewsAsia 6 Jun 07
Over 70% of shoppers support Bring Your Own Bag Day

Today Online 5 Jun 07
BYO Bag Day gets bigger and better
Gracia Chiang

Supermarkets are not the only ones encouraging shoppers to bring their own grocery bags -- schools, corporations and other retail stores are chipping in for tomorrow's third Bring Your Own Bag Day (BYOBD).

Launched on April 18 and held every first Wednesday of the month, BYOBD has major supermarkets ask shoppers who do not bring their own bags to either buy reusable bags or make a 10-cent donation for each plastic bag taken at the checkout counter.

For tomorrow's exercise, Keppel Group will be giving away 100,000 free reusable bags at NTUC FairPrice supermarkets and FairPrice Xtra at Ang Mo Kio Hub. Close to 500 students from Republic Polytechnic, Chong Boon Secondary School, Dunman Secondary School and Nan Chiau High School will also distribute free reusable bags or explain the message to shoppers at selected stores.

From tomorrow, eight shops under Stamford Tyres International and Autobacs Venture Singapore will join the current 207 retail outlets taking part in the BYOBD scheme.

National Environment Agency surveys have shown that more than 70 per cent of shoppers supported the first two BYOBDs by either bringing their own reusable bags, buying reusable bags at the checkout counters, making donations or declining plastic bags for small items purchased.

Findings also show that shoppers have become more aware of the campaign.

Channel NewsAsia 6 Jun 07
Over 70% of shoppers support Bring Your Own Bag Day

SINGAPORE: Over 70 percent of shoppers have supported the Bring Your Own Bag Day exercises so far.

Two of such exercises were held over the last two months and a total of 215 retail outlets are participating in the campaign. The campaign designates the first Wednesday of every month as Bring Your Own Bag Day. On this day, shoppers are encouraged to bring their own bags for their purchases. Those who do not wish to do so can choose to make a 10 cents donation for each plastic bag they need.

Some 100,000 reusable bags, sponsored by Keppel Corporation, are distributed for free at all NTUC FairPrice supermarkets, making Keppel the first private organisation to support the Bring Your Own Bag Day campaign.

Over 100 Keppel volunteers, known as Green Ambassadors, are also stationed at selected NTUC outlets to help customers bag their groceries.

On the whole, more people are seen bringing their own reusable bags when they shop for groceries.

Seah Kian Peng, Managing Director, NTUC FairPrice, said: "Some stores are reporting that 20 percent of the customers are starting to bring their own bags and some stores are reporting figures as high as 80 percent. I think these are all very encouraging signs and we need to build on this because we want to make this a part of our lifestyle." - CNA/so
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