WonderFoods supermarket implemented a program to reduce plastic bag usage by providing reusable green bags and placing recycling cages in their parking lots. Customers are given green bags during their shopping and can return extra bags to the cages. This eliminates the need for plastic bags and has reduced plastic bag consumption by 80% while promoting the supermarket's eco-friendly image. The initial costs were covered by the supermarket's marketing budget and they expect to recoup their investment within a year.

1. Say Goodbye To Plastic Bags! How?

2. We’re what marketers call a “target market”. We are medium to high income earners, cost conscious and an eco-minded family. I think Sea turtles are so cute!

3. We like to use green bags but sometimes we simply forget to bring them with us. We have about 10 of them at home. One or two are in the car but most times we realize we’ve left them there only when we’re at the register.

4. That’s why we love WonderFoods. See, all they’ve done is to put a recycle cage in their supermarkets car parks.

5. So people immediately have a place to put the unneeded green bags they’ve already got. WonderFoods then take the bags (washing the ones that need some TLC) and give them back to customers. Pretty simple ha?

6. WonderFoods Then WonderFoods really made a difference. See, every time we shop there now we get a green bag. They simply don’t have plastic bags anymore!

7. We take as many green bags as we need and when we have too many in the house we just grab them all and put them in the recycling cage at WonderFoods again.

8. We’re happy because we don’t have to remember to bring our own bags and we help to save the environment. ‘ Cause baby seals are cute too!

9. WonderFoods The money for the initial trial of this new system comes from WonderFoods marketing budget. Figures, as they have their logo on each bag!

10. WonderFoods See, plastic bags are cheap in the short term but WonderFoods is thinking long term. After about one year they will return their investment.

11. And because they were the first supermarket to implement this they got free PR on every major TV station, newspaper and blog.

12. This way they immediately reduced plastic bag consumption by 80%. Do you think this can work at your supermarket? Come on, save a dolphin!

13. WonderFoods is a made up, future thinking, eco-new-age supermarket. Thank you. Tamir Berkman [email_address] www.frankmedia.com.au/blog