Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 31 May, 2022: Carrefour, owned and operated by Majid Al Futtaim in the UAE, will offer a sustainable alternative to plastic bags in response to the new government policy banning the use of single-use plastic. The leading retailer will provide plant-based bags made of starch to eliminate plastic from its checkout counters altogether.

 

The new starch bags will be available for 25 fils at Carrefour stores across Abu Dhabi and Al Ain from June 1 and in Dubai as of July 1. Taking less than six months to fully decompose, the benefits of these sustainable alternatives far outweigh plastic bags, which cost more as per government guidelines yet take several hundred years to break down.

 

Bernardo Perloiro, Chief Operating Officer UAE at Majid Al Futtaim Retail, said: “Of all the plastic ever made, half has been produced in the last 15 years, which is why we were the first UAE retailer to introduce reusable bags back in 2007. We have come a long way since then and, since 2019, we have sold 4 million reusable bags at Carrefour stores across the UAE. With the implementation of the new policies in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, it is our duty to ensure customers have the most convenient, cost-efficient options. The starch bag, which costs only 25 fils, is an industry first in this region and we are confident that it will be widely implemented by more retailers in the future. We fully embrace the new government direction, which bans single-use plastic bags in Abu Dhabi. Through constant innovation and close collaboration with our government and partners, we can continue to deliver the best shopping experience for our customers.” 

 

Customers at Carrefour can also find reusable bags made using paper, woven, juco, and canvas materials, which are equivalent to five regular bags and can carry many more items. The brand hopes to incentivise responsible shopping habits through its loyalty program by offering bonus SHARE points for purchases of new reusable bags. Any plastic woven bag bought at Carrefour comes with a lifetime guarantee to mitigate excessive plastic consumption and protect the environment. 

 

To provide more choices and raise awareness about responsible shopping, Carrefour has partnered with the leading conservation organisation – Emirates Nature-WWF – to design three limited-edition reusable bags priced at only AED 11.50. Every bag features an illustration of a threatened marine species in the UAE, highlighting indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins, Arabian humpback whales and green turtles that can all be found in local waters. Scanning the attached QR code takes customers to an online learning resource that provides facts about each animal to increase awareness about the effects of single-use plastic on UAE wildlife.