7-eleven Launching Campaign To Reduce Use Of Plastic Bags

[george]

7-Eleven launching campaign to reduce use of plastic bags

BANGKOK: -- In an attempt to reduce waste and global warming, 7-Eleven convenience stores in Thailand are now considering launching campaigns to persuade customers to switch to clothing bags.

Director-general of the Environmental Quality Promotion Department, Monthip Srirattana Tabucanon, said her department had discussed with senior executives of the convenience store operator on ways to reduce the use of plastic bags.

Each year, the 7-Eleven chain spends about 100 million baht on plastic bags and the stores are now finding ways to lure customers toward clothe bags. It’s possible the campaign will start March.

Ms.Monthip added waste was on the rise in Thailand and only 3.3 million tonnes, or about 22 per cent of total wastes, are being recycled. Most of the waste was plastic bags.

--TNA 2008-02-09

[Florin]

I don't understand...how do they mean to persuade the customers to use cloth bags? By not providing plastic bags / charging for them? By asking if you want one every time? Would they provide new cloth bags or will it be assumed that customers should bring their own?

[Mobi]

Someone in 7-11 obviously reads Thai Visa.

Here is my post No. 59 dated 14th January on the 'Plastic bag' thread in the general topics forum.

Here's an idea.

The owner of 7/11 in Thailand is a multi billionaire. His stores pervade every nook and cranny of this land and are now entrenched as part of the modern Thai culture.

How about 7 starting a "reduce plastic bags / love a cleaner Thailand' campaign. There's many ways they could dso this, and I'm sure the creative geniuses at the ad agencies could come up with many bright ideas. But something along the lines of a discount card or free gift ( sweets for the kids) for every customer who brings their own bag. Or whatever. Just get the public at it - kids especially - and have a nationwide publicity campaign to reduce the amount of plastic, and clean up Thailand. The country would benefit and so would 7/11 as the main sponsor of the scheme, and the savings they would make on plastic bag production. They could even sell reusable bags as supermarkets do in other countries.

7/11 would overnight be changed from the villains to the heroes.

A win win situation. But it will never happen.

But who knows, maybe someone should write and suggest it?

I wonder if I can take any credit for this campaign?

[selftaopath]

Someone in 7-11 obviously reads Thai Visa.

Here is my post No. 59 dated 14th January on the 'Plastic bag' thread in the general topics forum.

Here's an idea.

The owner of 7/11 in Thailand is a multi billionaire. His stores pervade every nook and cranny of this land and are now entrenched as part of the modern Thai culture.

How about 7 starting a "reduce plastic bags / love a cleaner Thailand' campaign. There's many ways they could dso this, and I'm sure the creative geniuses at the ad agencies could come up with many bright ideas. But something along the lines of a discount card or free gift ( sweets for the kids) for every customer who brings their own bag. Or whatever. Just get the public at it - kids especially - and have a nationwide publicity campaign to reduce the amount of plastic, and clean up Thailand. The country would benefit and so would 7/11 as the main sponsor of the scheme, and the savings they would make on plastic bag production. They could even sell reusable bags as supermarkets do in other countries.

7/11 would overnight be changed from the villains to the heroes.

A win win situation. But it will never happen.

But who knows, maybe someone should write and suggest it?

I wonder if I can take any credit for this campaign?

Perhaps, but I suspect the decision was based more on "the bottom line." Similiar to the reason for corruption?

[advice]

i just came back from 711, it seems it has not filtered down to the branches as yet lol.

3 bags for 2 cup of noodles, 1 water and 2 packs of cigs.. funny.

[geriatrickid]

It is now a common campaign amongst grocery and convenience stores in the west. I just saw a news story that the two largest liquor retailers in the world (canadian provincial liquor commissions) are planning to go the same route with one no longer offering plastic or paper bags by next year.

[sweetchariot]

Just by not providing bags for single items they would save millions of bags a year. When I buy a bottle of milk,water, newspaper, or pack of cigs (singularly) I have to quickly grab it from the counter before they put it in a bloody bag.

Edit to add: Oh yeah and straws as well. How many people really want a straw with their bottle of water or can of coke? (except ladies perhaps). Why not ask if we want a straw. I bought 2 x 1.5 litre bottles of water the other day as our supplies were low, and was amazed to find 2 straws in the bag when I got home!!

Edited February 9, 2008 by sweetchariot

[Mobi]

Perhaps, but I suspect the decision was based more on "the bottom line." Similiar to the reason for corruption?

I wasn't serious

[Briggsy]

One cannot expect to see the level of bag-discipline that one sees in Europe. But even Taiwan has made big strides in reducing the wastefulness and litter of a plastic bag culture. So it is possible to achieve this in a littering society.

However I doubt 7-11 has the willpower to push through with this. They'll just put a few announcements out like this and then do nothing. I hope they prove me wrong.

I would like to point out that Foodland has been using biodegradable plastic bags for quite some time.

[Thaddeus]

It is now a common campaign amongst grocery and convenience stores in the west. I just saw a news story that the two largest liquor retailers in the world (canadian provincial liquor commissions) are planning to go the same route with one no longer offering plastic or paper bags by next year.

Crikey..... next they'll be wrapping things in banana leaves

[A_Traveller]

The full version of this article appeared in the The International Herald Tribune

DUBLIN - There is something missing from this otherwise typical bustling cityscape. There are taxis and buses. There are hip bars and pollution. Every other person is talking into a cellphone. But there are no plastic shopping bags, the ubiquitous symbol of urban life. In 2002, Ireland passed a tax on plastic bags; customers who want them must now pay 33 cents per bag at the register. There was an advertising awareness campaign. And then something happened that was bigger than the sum of these parts. Within weeks, plastic bag use dropped 94 percent. Within a year, nearly everyone had bought reusable cloth bags, keeping them in offices and in the backs of cars. Plastic bags were not outlawed, but carrying them became socially unacceptable - on a par with wearing a fur coat or not cleaning up after one's dog.

"When my room mate brings one in the flat it annoys the hel_l out of me," said Edel Egan, a photographer, carrying groceries last week in a red backpack. Drowning in a sea of plastic bags, countries from China to Australia, cities from San Francisco to New York have in the past year adopted a flurry of laws and regulations to address the problem, so far with mixed success. The New York City Council, for example, in the face of stiff resistance from business interests, passed a measure requiring only that stores that hand out plastic bags take them back for recycling.

In a few countries, including Germany, grocers have long charged a nominal fee for plastic bags, and cloth carrier bags are common. But they are the exception. In the past few months, several countries have announced plans to eliminate the bags. Bangladesh and some African nations have sought to ban them because they clog fragile sewerage systems, creating a health hazard. Starting this summer, China will prohibit sellers from handing out free plastic shopping bags, but the price they should charge is not specified, and there is little capacity for enforcement. Australia says it wants to end free plastic bags by the end of the year, but has not decided how.

Efforts to tax plastic bags have failed in many places because of heated opposition from manufacturers as well as from merchants, who have said a tax would be bad for business. In Britain, Los Angeles and San Francisco, proposed taxes failed to gain political approval, though San Francisco passed a ban last year. Some countries, like Italy, have settled for voluntary participation.

But there were no plastic bag makers in Ireland (most bags here came from China), and a forceful environment minister gave reluctant shopkeepers little wiggle room, making it illegal for them to pay for the bags on behalf of customers. The government collects the tax, which finances environmental enforcement and clean-up programs. Furthermore, the environment minister told shopkeepers that if they changed from plastic to paper, he would tax those bags, too. While paper bags, which degrade, are in some ways better for the environment, studies suggest that more greenhouse gases are released in their manufacture and transportation than in the production of plastic bags.

Today, Ireland's retailers are great promoters of taxing the bags. "I spent many months arguing against this tax with the minister; I thought customers wouldn't accept it," said Senator Feargal Quinn, founder of the Superquinn chain. "But I have become a big, big enthusiast." Mr. Quinn is also president of EuroCommerce, a group representing six million European retailers. In that capacity, he has encouraged a plastic bag tax in other countries. But members are not buying it. "They say: 'Oh, no, no. It wouldn't work. It wouldn't be acceptable in our country,' " Mr. Quinn said.

After five years of the plastic bag tax, Ireland has changed the image of cloth bags, a feat advocates hope to achieve in the United States. Vincent Cobb, the president of reusablebags.com, who founded the company four years ago to promote the issue, said: "Using cloth bags has been seen as an extreme act of a crazed environmentalist. We want it to be seen as something a smart, progressive person would carry."

Some things worked to Ireland's advantage. Almost all markets are part of chains that are highly computerized, with cash registers that already collect a national sales tax, so adding the bag tax involved a minimum of reprogramming, and there was little room for evasion. The country also has a young, flexible population that has proved to be a good testing ground for innovation, from cellphone services to non-smoking laws. Despite these favourable conditions, Ireland still ended up raising the bag tax 50 percent, after officials noted that consumption was rising slightly.

Ireland has moved on with the tax concept, proposing similar taxes on customers for A.T.M. receipts and chewing gum. (The sidewalks of Dublin are dotted with old wads.) The gum tax has been avoided for the time being because the chewing gum giant Wrigley agreed to create a public clean-up fund as an alternative. This year, the government plans to ban conventional light bulbs, making only low-energy, long-life fluorescent bulbs available.

Regards

edit format//

Edited February 9, 2008 by A_Traveller

[Chang_paarp]

In my place we use the bags I bring back from Tesco, Carefour et al for larger purchases. My cashier will wait until a farang asks for a bag with smaller purchases, but will automatically put the stuff for a a Thai into a plastic bag, I will ask if they want a bag and 90+% of the time a Thai will ask for a bag or say they want one where as others will ask if they cannot balance their purchases. As to straws. they are next to the till for the customers to take if they want, the exception is the drinks that rely on the straw to break the seal on the lid.

As a cheap charlie this helps keep my consumables to a minimum and reduces the number of plastic bits blowing across the roads. Now if we can educate the folk to not throw stuff out of the car/songtow/bike on the side of the road that will also do huge steps to reduce the visual pollution.

[bruceboy]

Good idea, let's get rid of plastic bags.

[Martin]

The historians of the future will point out the plastic bag as having been one of the most-inexcusable excesses of the Age of the Squandering of the Exosomatics (i.e. the stuff from within the Earth).

Within five generations, it can be expected that there won't be enough petroleum exosomatics even to provide the feedstocks for pharmaceuticals.

Luckily, we don't live long enough to experience the disdain with which our greatgreatgrandchildren will regard us.

[Tony Clifton]

The small river, where my wife's family used to swim some years ago, has been also used as a garbage collecting route for some time. Needless to say that plastic bags and the wind made it so that the bottom of that river is now saturated with zillions of plastic bags and debris. Nothing grows in there anymore but along the banks. Last time I checked, I saw the neighbours dog going for a swim and came back out looking like he'd swam in an oil slick.

[hgma]

the problem(huge amount) with using plastic bags in Thailand is they

are a "prove of payment"

without platsic bag the goods are not accountable for.

It needs a different attitude to get rid if this "system".

bigger visable saleslips maybe?

que paycard system maybe?

change of mentality maybe?

whatever.........as long as we get rid of these bags

hgma

I don't understand...how do they mean to persuade the customers to use cloth bags? By not providing plastic bags / charging for them? By asking if you want one every time? Would they provide new cloth bags or will it be assumed that customers should bring their own?

[dekestone]

Edit to add: Oh yeah and straws as well. How many people really want a straw with their bottle of water or can of coke? (except ladies perhaps). Why not ask if we want a straw. I bought 2 x 1.5 litre bottles of water the other day as our supplies were low, and was amazed to find 2 straws in the bag when I got home!!

Yes! I think I've finally got my local 7-11 staff trained so they don't put straws in my bag when I buy beer!

[astral]

In South Africa, if you want a plastic bag then you pay for it.

The big stores sell cloth bags and you are encouraged to use these,

or re-use the plastic ones.

[BigSnake]

Great way to go 7/11(CPALL)

[Scott]

I constantly rearrange things at 7-11, putting everything in one bag. The other day, I was in and bought 3 things, a sandwich, a drink, and a pack of cigarettes. I got 3 bags! I took it all out and put it in 1 bag, the girl then took the other two and threw them in the garbage!

I go to the same shop all the time, so I am hoping to get them trained. It's not just about the environment (well it is), but for God's sake, I have a thousand of those stupid bags in my vehicle and I hate cleaning them up--and yes, I tried to reuse one, but she took that out of my hand and threw it in the garbage!

Their campaign needs to start with the employees.

[pattyboy]

I constantly rearrange things at 7-11, putting everything in one bag. The other day, I was in and bought 3 things, a sandwich, a drink, and a pack of cigarettes. I got 3 bags! I took it all out and put it in 1 bag, the girl then took the other two and threw them in the garbage!

I go to the same shop all the time, so I am hoping to get them trained. It's not just about the environment (well it is), but for God's sake, I have a thousand of those stupid bags in my vehicle and I hate cleaning them up--and yes, I tried to reuse one, but she took that out of my hand and threw it in the garbage!

Their campaign needs to start with the employees.

Very nice...somebody's on the right track, here.

It's no surprise that they go through 100 million baht worth of plastic bags a year. I am convinced that the employees have been given instructions to give the customers lots of bags when they buy things (to make the customer feel good and important, I suppose. After all, this is a "more is better" culture.) The type of situation described by Scott happens all the time (using 3 bags when 1 will do). This suggestion to have 7-11 stores use cloth bags rather than plastic is fine, except for the fact that 99% of the time I end up in a 7-11 I didn't plan a trip there. I just drop in when driving or walking past one, so I likely wouldn't have my cloth bag with me, and I suspect that is the case with the majority of people. The cloth bag campaign would be better with grocery stores, where shopping trips are usually planned, and people can grab their cloth bags along with their shopping lists when leaving the house.

So, you're right, Scott. A bigger part of the problem and solution lies with the staff. If I knew that 7-11 was urging their staff to think a little more about how to pack bags and therefore use fewer of them, I'd probably buy stuff there more often. As it is now, I will give my business to the mom and pop corner store before I walk into a 7-11, and the bag issue is part of that reason.

[steveromagnino]

Too many 'they need to' 'their problem' 'they should'

If each of us keep asking for no bags, no straws, then this will start to get an impact.

No point in complaining about others, let's just get on with it ourselves.

And as for 7-11, plenty of people talking to them is why they are responding with a campaign like this; even if it is only part way effective, it takes time to change and in the meantime, ANY reduction in plastic bags is a good thing.

Even the slightest bit of good news and somehow it gets distorted 'upside dis place'

[Cuban]

Personally I would like to see the supermarkets Tesco, Big C allowing customers to use the cardboard boxes to take shopping home in rather than so many plastic bags. At present they are reaping a 20 Baht a kilo (?) profit from cardboard collection rather than giving them away "free".

[pattyboy]

Too many 'they need to' 'their problem' 'they should'

If each of us keep asking for no bags, no straws, then this will start to get an impact.

No point in complaining about others, let's just get on with it ourselves.

And as for 7-11, plenty of people talking to them is why they are responding with a campaign like this; even if it is only part way effective, it takes time to change and in the meantime, ANY reduction in plastic bags is a good thing.

Even the slightest bit of good news and somehow it gets distorted 'upside dis place'

I've been telling them (7-11 clerks) that I don't need and bag for (and don't want a straw with) my can of Heineken for about 8 years, but it doesn't seem to do any good. I suspect people living here that have come from Western countries do the same as we're used to being asked at convenience stores, "Do you need a bag?" I'm afraid I haven't seen any positive effect from refusing unneeded bags and straws, yet.

Certainly we all have to pitch in and do our part, but it's quite valid to point out that the thousands of clerks working at 7-11 stores could be quickly and easily instructed to significantly reduce the number of bags they use.

[steveromagnino]

I've been telling them (7-11 clerks) that I don't need and bag for (and don't want a straw with) my can of Heineken for about 8 years, but it doesn't seem to do any good. ...I'm afraid I haven't seen any positive effect from refusing unneeded bags and straws, yet.

Just you not taking one bag and one straw has reduced the amount of non biodegradable trash by....one bag and one straw.

That is a help in itself!

You take responsibility for your own actions, I'll take responsibility for mine, and in the meantime if we can personally convince a few others (not some almighty scheme to convert everyone by mass hypnosis, but rather a one by one approach) then over time the amount of trash gets reduced.

So far I am in the hundreds of people range, who now refuse plastic bags, no idea whether they have also passed the idea onto their friends as well or not.

We don't have much choice; post and complain online while still accepting the bags.....or stop taking the bags!

It does help if you can explain to the shop keepers why you don't want the bags. The key things are:

- spoils the environment for all of us

- someone has to pick them all up

- you should save money as I don't really need the bag

I've said it a few times to 7:11 management, seems like enough people have said that so then they start changing...same with the canvas bag idea (which a client actually did, more as a marketing gimick than anything else, but better than nothing).

Small incremental steps are the key for this one. In NZ and USA I also have had to refuse plastic bags, and there isn't much you can do with the crazy amount fo packaging for lots of items; not taking a plastic bag is fairly easy....aiiiiiiighty.

[makrook]

Too many 'they need to' 'their problem' 'they should'

well, as others pointed out, going to the same 7/11 all the time and saying all the time we don't need plastic bags or straws (I'm happy to see a lot a farangs are doing this) doesn't change anything.

until there is a certain form of public campaign that explains to people issues about plastic, oil, pollution, you can't expect the clerks at the 7/11 to be aware of all that and to understand by themselves why this farang is not wanting plastic bags, as nobody around does the same anyway, I suspect it's a strange farang habit in their heads.

plus, you can't expect them to take too much initiatives.

so yes, they need, it's largely their problem and they should, I think.

and it may start questions in people's mind, and even have a greater impact that only plastic bags at 7/11 (yes, I might be dreaming, I've been trying to explain some of those issues in the remote muu baan I often stay, with no result, they have bigger problems to think about anyway)

[steveromagnino]

well, as others pointed out, going to the same 7/11 all the time and saying all the time we don't need plastic bags or straws (I'm happy to see a lot a farangs are doing this) doesn't change anything.

So to be clear, you guys go, say you don't want a plastic bag, and then take it anyway????

Sorry, totally confused, I don't get farang logic at all

I can't see how not taking a bag (and thus reducing the demand by 1 bag) is not changing something!

[A_Traveller]

Whilst commending 7/11 can someone get Tops senior management to get with a similar programme? The number of time one sees items broken down by category going into individual bags and people leaving with 3 or 4 separate bags for purchases that could easily consolidate into 2. i.e. cleaning products separated from food {all wrapped and sealed}, separated from milk/juices etc.. Admittedly I mange to get the bags used as pedal bin liners, but still why do they use so many, do they assume people will drink the bleach if it's in with the orange juice?

Regards

/edit typo//

Edited February 11, 2008 by A_Traveller

[steveromagnino]

Whilst commending 7/11 can someone get Tops senior management to get with a similar programme?

look up their website. Call them. Send them letters.

Let us know how you get on.

[makrook]

well, as others pointed out, going to the same 7/11 all the time and saying all the time we don't need plastic bags or straws (I'm happy to see a lot a farangs are doing this) doesn't change anything.

So to be clear, you guys go, say you don't want a plastic bag, and then take it anyway????

Sorry, totally confused, I don't get farang logic at all

I can't see how not taking a bag (and thus reducing the demand by 1 bag) is not changing something!

no need to be totally confused, farang logic is : I go repeteadly to the same 7/11 all the time, for small purchases so I don't need a bag, all the time saying I don't need a bag neither a straw, but they will nevertheless each time give me one that I will refuse saying I don't need it (and neither a straw).I mean before I say it.that I don't need.in reaction to them giving me a bag I mean.wich they do all the time.wich I usually don't take (the bag).oh, forget it, I'm gonna take all the bags, easier to explain with my english.