Sherbrooke Maxi & Co to become first bagless Quebec retailer

The Maxi & Co store in Sherbrooke, Que. will soon become the first grocery and general merchandise retailer in Quebec to eliminate traditional plastic bags at checkouts, the company announced last week.

Additionally, the store will be the third Loblaw banner store to go bagless. Loblaw Companies Ltd. made a commitment in April to reduce 1 billion grocery bags within one year.

“As the largest grocery retailer in Quebec and Canada, we have a duty to help reduce the quantity of waste in our communities,” said Loblaw Companies Ltd. executive chariman Galen Weston. “Customers of Maxi & Co in Sherbrooke are responding well to the reusable bag and box proposal.”

The measure will be implemented in the Sherbrooke store as of February 2008, and the company will implement a communications plan to promote reusable bags and boxes.

The company also introduced the PC Green reusable bag earlier this year.