● FairPrice’s year-long “No Plastic Bag” initiative at 25 FairPrice and Cheers stores concludes with a total of 15.6 million plastic bags saved with about 7.8 million BYOB transactions
● Initiative will be extended for another year from 12 November 2020 at the same stores. Plastic bags will be available at S$0.20 and S$0.10 per transaction at selected supermarkets and convenience stores respectively. Proceeds will go towards supporting environmental and community causes
Singapore, 11 November 2020 – NTUC FairPrice (FairPrice) today announced the results of its year-long “No Plastic Bag” initiative at 25 selected supermarket and convenience stores. The initiative, which will conclude today, saw a total of 15.6 million plastic bags saved with about 7.8 million bring-your-own-bag (BYOB) transactions. It also announced a one-year extension of the initiative at the same stores[1] following positive customer response, starting 12 November 2020.
Mr Seah Kian Peng, Group CEO, FairPrice Group, said, “The “No Plastic Bag” initiative is part of the FairPrice Plastic Bag Management Programme which aims to reduce excessive use of plastic bags and at the same time encourage a behavioural change in customers. We are encouraged by the positive customer response garnered; the significant number of plastic bags saved in this short span of one year is a testimony of the greater public awareness for the environment.”
Highlights of Year-Long Pilot Initiative
Over the past year, about seven in 10 customers who shopped at participating supermarkets chose to BYOB or refused plastic bags, while close to nine in 10 customers BYOB or refused a bag at participating convenience stores.
While the majority of the customers supported this initiative by bringing their own bags, there were also challenges faced on the ground such as having to manage customers who demanded for excessive plastic bags after paying for them.
Mr Seah added, “We are thankful to customers for their support and understanding towards this sustainability effort. Regardless of the challenges that we face, we remain committed to the cause and we encourage more retailers to join us in making a collective effort towards reducing plastic bag use.”
FairPrice currently remains the only supermarket chain to continue charging for plastic bags at participating outlets in Singapore.
Extension of the “No Plastic Bag” Initiative
Customers who require bags can purchase them at S$0.20 per transaction (FairPrice, FairPrice Finest, FairPrice Xtra stores) or S$0.10 per transaction (Cheers, FairPrice Xpress stores). Proceeds raised from the initiative will go towards supporting environmental and community causes. Over the past year, about S$600,000 was raised from the plastic bag charges.
FairPrice will also continue public education efforts to raise awareness on the importance of plastic waste reduction. FairPrice continues to work closely with the government and organisations to advocate for the reduction of single-use plastics, such as supporting the Say Yes to Waste Less campaign by the National Environment Agency and organising webinar in partnership with Eco-Business.
The full list of participating stores can be found in Annex A.
FairPrice’s Sustainability Efforts
FairPrice targets to save 30 million plastic bags per annum by 2030 through a holistic approach that involves enhancing internal practices to be more eco-friendly, public education, partnerships and sponsorships.
[End]
[1] With the exception of FairPrice at Orchid Country Club, which has been converted to a dedicated online fulfilment centre.
ANNEX A
Participating stores
| S/N | Store Format | Address |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | FairPrice Xtra @ Hougang One | No. 1 Hougang St 91 #02-01 Hougang 1 Singapore 538692 |
| 2 | FairPrice Xtra @ Kallang Wave Mall | 1 Stadium Place Level 1, #01-29 Singapore 397628 |
| 3 | FairPrice Finest @ 100AM | 100 Tras Street #B1-01, 100AM, Singapore 079027 |
| 4 | FairPrice Finest @ Zhong Shan Park | 20 Ah Hood Road #02-01 Zhong Shan Park Singapore 329984 |
| 5 | FairPrice Finest @ Paya Lebar Quarter | 10 Paya Lebar Road #B2-09 Paya Lebar Quarter, Singapore 409057 |
| 6 | FairPrice Finest @ Terminal 3 | 65 Airport Boulevard,Basement 2 North, #B2-10 Singapore 819663 |
| 7 | FairPrice Finest @ Funan | 107 North Bridge Road, #B1-10, Funan Mall, Singapore 179105 |
| 8 | FairPrice Finest @ Bukit Timah Plaza | #B1-01 & #B2-01 Bukit Timah Plaza, No.1 Jln Anak Bukit, Singapore 588996 |
| 9 | FairPrice Finest @ Valley Point | 491 River Valley Road, #01-14 Valley Point Singapore 248371 |
| 10 | FairPrice @ Coronation Plaza | 587 Bukit Timah Road #01-01, Coronation Plaza Singapore 269707 |
| 11 | FairPrice @ Orchid Country Club | 1 Orchid Club Road #01-34 Level 1, Orchid Country Club Singapore 769162 |
| 12 | FairPrice @ Tai Seng | 18 Tai Seng St, #B1-13, Maple Tree 18, Singapore 539775 |
| 13 | Cheers | 1 Create Way #01-01 Singapore 138602 |
| 14 | Cheers | 1 Anchorvale St, Sengkang Community Hospital Singapore 544835 |
| 15 | Cheers | 920 New Upper Changi Road, #01-01, Tanah Merah MRT Station, Singapore 467356 |
| 16 | Cheers | 1 Joo Koon Circle #02-25, FairPrice Hub, Singapore 629117 |
| 17 | Cheers | No 2 Keppel Bay Drive #B1-133 Caribbean at Keppel Bay Singapore 098635 |
| 18 | Cheers | 611 Aljunied Rd Singapore 389830 |
| 19 | Cheers | 174 Holland Road Singapore 278582 |
| 20 | Cheers | 30 Dunearn Road, Singapore 309425 |
| 21 | Cheers | 141 Bukit Timah Road Singapore 229841 |
| 22 | Cheers | 751 Bukit Timah Road Singapore 269757 |
| 23 | Cheers | 650 Dunearn Road, Singapore 289630 |
| 24 | Cheers | 870 Dunearn Road, Singapore 589471 |
| 25 | FairPrice Xpress | 384 Lorong Chuan Singapore 556810 |