Lowe’s Canada reports a 58% drop in plastic bag use
Canadian Plastics
PackagingThe home improvement retailer introduced a charge on plastic bags at its corporate stores in Quebec in June 2018, and in the rest of Canada in August of the same year,
Home improvement retailer Lowe’s Canada reports that the introduction of a charge on plastic bags at its corporate stores in Quebec in June 2018, and in the rest of Canada in August of the same year, has had a significant impact on the number of plastic bags used in its network.
“In 2019, the customers of Lowe’s, RONA, and Reno-Depot corporate stores used 58% fewer plastic bags than in 2017, which represents about 10 million bags,” the company said in a June 3 statement. “In 2018, the introduction of the charge midyear resulted in over 5 million fewer plastic bags being used in Lowe’s Canada’s corporate stores versus the previous year.”
The statement went on to note that all profits from plastic bag charges are donated to the Nature Conservancy of Canada to support its conservation work across the country. “Between June 2018 and December 2019, these profits amounted to more than $125,000,” Lowe’s Canada said.
In addition, Lowe’s Canada also announced the company will introduce a new reusable bag at its stores in the fall. Profits from the sales of this new bag will also be given to the Nature Conservancy of Canada.
