Central Food Retail Co., Ltd. is announcing its ‘Go Green’ strategy by introducing recyclable paper bags as part of the fight against global warming.

Another ‘Go Green’ initiative is using degradable plastic bags to roll out at all 101 branches of Central Food Hall, Tops Market, Tops Super and Tops daily across the country, with the aim of banishing the long-lasting plastic bag.

The change will cost the company an additional 10 per cent in operating costs, but it is well worth it as it will be a core strategy in limiting the use of plastic bags and contributing to an eco-friendly society.

“The global warming situation and the related environmental problems are our major concern as we believe that the retail business is a social sector that can and should help to tackle these problems,” said Ian Pye, President of Central Food Retail Co Ltd.

“As the number one food retailer in Thailand, Central Food Retail is today launching its Go Green campaign -- one that reflects our corporate policy on environmental conservation.

“Our 101 stores have over 60 million customer transactions per year and there are customers use on average 2 plastic carrier bags every visit which estimated 120 million bags was distributed. That was therefore this notable change in our policy to launch recyclable Brown Bag as alternative to plastic bags, with a more than 750% increased in company cost.”

“Our ultimate goal is to encourage customers to use less plastic and become familiar with recyclable bags. Central Food Retail has already encouraged environmental saving with the introduction of reusable shopping bags as giveaways to customers. From 2005 until now we have given out more than 20,000 bags on various occasions.”

“In addition, we’ve also encourage our staff by providing them with fabric bags, and now at least 6,000 of our employees are using them.”

“Central Food Retail is proud to be a pioneer in the use of the recyclable brown bag,” said Ms. Phattaraporn Phenpraphat, Vice President – Marketing and Public Relations of Central Food Retail Co., Ltd.

“One of these bags can replace three plastic bags and can carry as much as eight kilogrammes. This is one of the environmental policies that we’ve applied both externally and internally, and apply the idea to communicate with our customer by putting tips to Go Green as in-store signage to encourage behaviour change in employees and customers.”

“Central Food Retail is now making every attempt to ease environmental problems, as we believe that the retail business can help to save the earth while continuing to provide people with safe, clean food. This is a reflection of our ‘fresh food. fresh ideas. fresh thinking.’ ideology.”

In addition to launching the recyclable brown bag, Central Food Retail has four earth-friendly bags for sale, each with a relevant TOPS message: T-Treat our planet as home, O-Open your heart to the green life, P-Promote earth-friendly habits and S-Say it! I promise to go green. And two more themed Go Green fabric bags will be launched at the same time.

Other Go Green marketing plans includes a co-promotion with Unilever Thai Trading Limited offering discounts customers who are carrying their own shopping bags to shop for Unilever products.

The Go Green ‘tree saver’ brown bag will be the one in use at 101 branches of Central Food Hall, Tops Market, Tops Super and Tops daily nationwide from now onward.