Pattison Food Group is partnering with Vitacore and its Planet Impact program to launch a reusable bag recycling program, which the partners say is a first for Canada.
While the shift towards reusable bags in grocery stores across Canada has been a positive step, these bags are typically made from plastics such as polypropylene and have presented new environmental challenges. Existing recycling facilities are not equipped to process reusable bags, leaving Canadian consumers with an accumulation of bags that lack a proper recycling pathway. It is estimated that reusable polypropylene shopping bags must be reused 10-20 times to have a lower environmental impact than single-use plastic bags.
Currently, Vitacore says Canadians accumulate over 23 reusable bags per person annually, leading to an excess of more than 900,000,000 bags each year.
As part of its Planet Impact program, Vitacore has developed a scalable technology that enables efficient recycling of reusable bags and is partnering with the Pattison Food Group to launch this program to Canadians. In mid-November, the Pattison Food Group is installing reusable bag recycling receptacles in all stores and encouraging customers to bring any reusable bags to be recycled. The program will be available in all Pattison Food Group retail locations across western Canada including Save-On-Foods, Buy-Low Foods, Choices Market, Nature’s Fare Markets, PriceSmart Foods, Nesters Market, and Quality Foods.
“We are thrilled to partner with Vitacore and lead the way in addressing the environmental challenges posed by reusable bags,” says Darrell Jones, president of the Pattison Food Group. “This initiative aligns with our efforts to support the circular economy and our zero waste goals, while providing our customers with an option to responsibly dispose of their own reusable bags. It’s important for our own sustainability journey to align with the needs and values of our customers, and this project is a great example of that.”
