7-Eleven wages war on plastic bags

[webfact]

7-Eleven wages war on plastic bags

 

Picture: Sanook

 

Sanook published a feature that said the convenience store 7-Eleven were mounting all out war on plastic.

 

They said that Thailand throws away 5,300 tons of plastic waste a day.

 

And much of this is in unnecessary plastic bags.

 

CP All's 7-Eleven stores that are on virtually every street corner in Thailand are mounting the "7 Go Green" campaign. 

 

Slogans such as "No more single use plastic" and "One less plastic bag every day" and "The environment matters 24 hours a day" are now commonplace. 

 

People are getting "value points" on their "7 Value Cards" used to purchase items if they turn down plastic bags. 

 

When this happens 0.20 baht is sent to a foundation to fight environmental issues, too. 

 

The project was launched on the 7th of November, the 11th month. 

 

An executive claimed the environment initiatives had been running for ten years though that would be news to many consumers. 

 

Stores in tourist areas like Koh Lipe have their own area specific campaigns as well. 

 

The story contained almost no reference to other forms of plastic packaging such as in the sale of processed food and ready meals. 

 

Source: Sanook

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-11-20

[DM07]

Again?

Didn't they wage war 2 weeks ago already?

BTW: not gonna happen! (and that's what I said 2 weeks ago, already!)

See: "An executive claimed the environment initiatives had been running for ten years though that would be news to many consumers."

Many?

All! 

[Brigand]

Quote

An executive claimed the environment initiatives had been running for ten years....

A waft of rural smelling air engulfed me and my computer upon reading this line in the report.

[Mister Fixit]

It would be a good start if the idiots in 7/11 (as well as Tesco and Big C) didn't put anything heavier than a large bottle of milk or beer in TWO plastic bags!   ????  ????

Edited November 20, 2018 by Mister Fixit

[mok199]

Its word for word from the old worn post...JUST DO IT

[Lungstib]

So, I go into 7/11 and buy milk, yogurt,  pack of ma-ma and a beer. In a weeks time I'll have a big plastic jug, 4 plastic pots, 4 unneeded plastic spoons, an assortment of wrapping plastic and a non-returnable glass bottle. Itsn't it great that I turned down a carrier bag to take it home in. Its the food producers we have to tackle, not just the seller.

[owl sees all]

35 minutes ago, Mister Fixit said:

It would be a good start if the idiots in 7/11 (as well as Tesco and Big C) didn't put anything heavier than a large bottle of milk or beer in TWO plastic bags!   ????  ????

My local Tesco shop only reluctantly will put an item in two bags.

 

A couple of weeks ago a check-out lady put over 4kg of drinks in just one bag. As I was lifting it off the counter, the carton made a hole in the plastic bag. Rendering it useless. She (check-out girl) then attempted to put the goods into a second bag,,, and you have guessed it; the bag split right across the bottom. The cartons of fruit drinks fell out but fortunately did not damage to the point where fluid leaked out.

 

Now, was this a one-off defective bag? I don't know because I now do my shopping at Big C. Their bags are green (environmentally more friendly),  and the check-out ladies seem more clued up on the stuff they actually put in the bags.

 

The downside to me now going to Big C is that the check-out ladies are not as lovely looking as at Tescos, but are more efficient.

 

I do moan though at Big C. It's that sometimes they mix refrigerated goods with non-refrigerated goods.

[bluesofa]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

An executive claimed the environment initiatives had been running for ten years though that would be news to many consumers.

What also might be news to consumers is that despite nearly two years ago when I contacted 7 Eleven twice to ask why they didn't ask me if I wanted a plastic bag for my single-item purchase, they never replied back.

I asked because at the time their website was waffling on about how they were concerned about plastic use, and their new initiative was to ask customers if they wanted a bag.

 

Is there anyone here who nearly two years ago was directly asked by staff if they wanted a bag, when making a single-item purchase?

Is there anyone now who has been asked the same question by staff?

7 Eleven's PR and their website claims are absolutely nothing to do with how they run their business in reality.

[Misterwhisper]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The project was launched on the 7th of November, the 11th month. 

We have Nov 20 today and it seems the "war" hasn't started on all fronts yet; at least not in my Bangkok neighborhood where two nearby 7-Elevens are still dispensing plastic bags en masse as they always have. CP might want to work on the chain of command a bit so the "war orders" also filter down to the smaller "combat units" deployed in the suburbs.

 

One positive point of note: Since recently, I don't earn myself a confused look or even suspicious frown from 7-Eleven staff any longer when I refuse accepting a plastic bag with my single-item purchase. Yes, they even listen to me when I turn down the two plastic spoons or half a dozen plastic straws. In the old days they frequently ignored my pleas that I was rich enough to have my own spoon and thus didn't need theirs.

[Greyhat]

Does this mean I won't get a straw when I buy a bottle of cooking oil?

[owl sees all]

1 hour ago, bluesofa said:

 

Is there anyone here who nearly two years ago was directly asked by staff if they wanted a bag, when making a single-item purchase?

Is there anyone now who has been asked the same question by staff?

I can't answer that bluesofa I'm afraid, 'cause after the last scandal at 7-11 (so eloquently discussed and debated on TVForum), Ron, myself, and Professor Pigeon also, have refused to go into 7-11. We, up here in the North East 'walk it as we talk it' so to speak.

 

But!!! I will ask around the village to find out if the good people have been asked (when they were last in 7-11) whether they wanted a bag or not. I'll get back to you on that.

 

It would help matters a great deal if 7-11 could have a more unique plastic bag. A bag that everyone could recognise that it came from 7-11. Just like big C.

Edited November 20, 2018 by owl sees all

[Misterwhisper]

1 hour ago, Greyhat said:

Does this mean I won't get a straw when I buy a bottle of cooking oil?

No, it means you'll get FIVE plastic straws to compensate for the loss of the plastic bag you're no longer supposed to receive with your cooking oil bottle.

Edited November 20, 2018 by Misterwhisper

[owl sees all]

41 minutes ago, Misterwhisper said:

No, it means you'll get FIVE plastic straws to compensate for the loss of the plastic bag you're no longer supposed to receive with your cooking oil bottle.

I don't get this at all. Why would you want plastic straws for a bottle of cooking oil?

 

If, as some posters have suggested, plastic, of any description, be banned, then it would probably lead to 7-11 customers bringing in a tin can and having it filled through a holding tank of sorts. 

 

I just don't see that as a technological improvement and seems at odds with Thailand's general theme (Thailand moves forward).

 

Edible drinking straws are the future anyway. Also; 7-11 are considering drone delivery of certain goods. That will be good for me, Ron and Professor Pigeon as we can order online and not break our 7-11 boycott. "Get your morning cup of coffee delivered with 7-11." I can see the adverts now, as I type.

Edited November 20, 2018 by owl sees all

[OneMoreFarang]

Can we please stop using the word "war" for lots of things which have nothing to do with wars?

In wars people kill each other. Hopefully that won't happen because of plastic bags.

[bluesofa]

2 hours ago, owl sees all said:

I can't answer that bluesofa I'm afraid, 'cause after the last scandal at 7-11 (so eloquently discussed and debated on TVForum), Ron, myself, and Professor Pigeon also, have refused to go into 7-11. We, up here in the North East 'walk it as we talk it' so to speak.

 

But!!! I will ask around the village to find out if the good people have been asked (when they were last in 7-11) whether they wanted a bag or not. I'll get back to you on that.

 

It would help matters a great deal if 7-11 could have a more unique plastic bag. A bag that everyone could recognise that it came from 7-11. Just like big C.

Does 7 Eleven not have their name/logo on the plastic bags already? I haven't accepted one from any of the Udon branches for a few years, so just don't know.

Surely by having their logo on plastic bags would result in more bad publicity, when they would be seen blowing around in the wind/laying on the side of the road?

 

[owl sees all]

22 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Does 7 Eleven not have their name/logo on the plastic bags already? I haven't accepted one from any of the Udon branches for a few years, so just don't know.

Surely by having their logo on plastic bags would result in more bad publicity, when they would be seen blowing around in the wind/laying on the side of the road?

 

 

I make you right there bluesofa. I hadn't considered that people would throw them away. 

 

A bar girl told me there were 43,000 7-11s in Thailand. And I calculated that if one person a minute gets a bag that would be 18 x 60 = 1080 bags per day from each store. 43,000 x 1080 = 46,440,000 a day, nationwide. That, of course, is for stores open for 18 hours rather than 24.

 

The downside is that the Thais, as highlighted by bluesofa, do not always put their bags in a rubbish bin. And they finish up "blowing around in the wind/laying on the side of the road." Which brings us back to the original topic.

 

 

 

 

Edited November 20, 2018 by owl sees all

[bluesofa]

12 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

I make you right there bluesofa. I hadn't considered that people would throw them away. 

 

A bar girl told me there were 43,000 7-11s in Thailand. And I calculated that if one person a minute gets a bag that would be 18 x 60 = 1080 bags per day from each store. 43,000 x 1080 = 46,440,000 a day, nationwide. That, of course, is for stores open for 18 hours rather than 24.

 

The downside is that the Thais, as highlighted by bluesofa, do not always put their bags in a rubbish bin. And they finish up "blowing around in the wind/laying on the side of the road." Which brings us back to the original topic.

If anyone can confirm about 7 Eleven having their name on plastic bags, that would be interesting.

 

Although from what I can recall, I haven't seen loads of the bags around, but I was making the point that there are a fair few, and they are not biodegradable.

 

I'm afraid I'll have to query the knowledge of your bar girl informant, as a google search says that in March 2018 there were 11,000 stores in Thailand:

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/Startup_and_IT/30341059

In January 2018, the newspaper we can't quote said exactly the same figure.

However, the more it is publicised the better, forcing supermarkets to become more responsible - in reality, not just in press releases.

[pikao]

4 hours ago, bluesofa said:

Is there anyone now who has been asked the same question by staff?

Yes I have. Here on Koh Phangan I´m asked by staff in about 90% of 7/11 and Family Marts. Even with a purchase of several items. Looks that the franchisees take it more serious here

[bluesofa]

1 minute ago, pikao said:

Yes I have. Here on Koh Phangan I´m asked by staff in about 90% of 7/11 and Family Marts. Even with a purchase of several items. Looks that the franchisees take it more serious here

That is good news!

Having said that, IIRC didn't I read very recently that a couple of the islands were trying to ban plastic bags?

It would be great for this to spread to the entire country.

[Orton Rd]

go in daily seen no evidence of it yet, they even bag stuff up already wrapped in plastic

[Gillyflower]

I have been asked each time if I want a bag

 

I can't be bothered scrolling up, but is the poster who asked why you would need a straw fora bottle of oil.....is he for real?  That post gave me my only smile for the day.

Edited November 20, 2018 by Gillyflower

[Katipo]

Where is this war taking place? Central Bangkok, or? I ask because it's business as usual with me having to refuse straws and plastic bags in every single 7/11 I have visited in the last month or so. This includes stores in Chonburi, Rayong, Ayutthaya, Nakhon Nakon etc.

[Chassa]

I save all big bags for the household rubbish, which is collected by the refuse collector and hopefully disposed of properly.

[bluesofa]

17 minutes ago, Gillyflower said:

I have been asked each time if I want a bag

 

I can't be bothered scrolling up, but is the poster who asked why you would need a straw fora bottle of oil.....is he for real?  That post gave me my only smile for the day.

Would you like to say where it is you are asked each time if you want a bag?

[1337markus]

6 hours ago, DM07 said:

Again?

Didn't they wage war 2 weeks ago already?

BTW: not gonna happen! (and that's what I said 2 weeks ago, already!)

See: "An executive claimed the environment initiatives had been running for ten years though that would be news to many consumers."

Many?

All! 

No didnt wage war just a battle and lost that too. ????

[Ulic]

One of the reasons I shop at Makro. No bags. I just wheel the cart out to my scooter place a few things under the seat and the rest in my backpack. All good. I don't have to "negotiate/plead" with the check-out girl to place items directly into my backpack like at Tesco or Big C.

[fruitman]

When i buy a pizzacompany pizza i get loads of ketchup in plastic which i don't need.

 

Same goes for burgerking burgers.

 

I hope mr Heineken? stops that as well.

[connda]

If 7/11's parent company was truly serious, they would stop using plastic bags at the retail level and go back to paper and push cloth usable bags with their logo on it that they sell at deep discounts.
They aren't serious.  All of the retailers such as 7/11 who are the middlemen for the Petro-Chemical Plastics Industry are the problem.  Once the retailers stop buying and using plastic bags, then the Petro-Chemical Plastics Industry stops making them because they are no longer profitable.  Then the plastic bag problem ceases.
This Blame the End-Consumer game is utter nonsense.  It's a PR stunt and nothing else.  Most people aren't awake enough to connect the dots.

Edited November 20, 2018 by connda

[Gillyflower]

1 hour ago, bluesofa said:

Would you like to say where it is you are asked each time if you want a bag?

Yes.  The 7/11 on Moon Muang between Rathwithi and I think it's Soi 9.  Where The House is.  I've been there 3 times in just over a week.

[SunsetT]

7 hours ago, Mister Fixit said:

It would be a good start if the idiots in 7/11 (as well as Tesco and Big C) didn't put anything heavier than a large bottle of milk or beer in TWO plastic bags!   ????  ????

Take your own strong bag and say NO to any plastic bags. If u buy just one or 2 items and u have your car, motorbike, or bicycle with u, u dont need a bag to carry them to your mode of transport.