Mitre 10 announces date for plastic bag ban just days after Countdown

Thursday, 10 May 2018

Mitre 10 sets date to ban single-use plastic bags, and plastic boot liners.

More retailers are rushing to match Countdown's move of banning out plastic bags from a handful of stores in 10 days time.

On Thursday, Mitre 10 announced its 128 stores, including Mitre 10 Mega and Hammer Hardware, will be plastic bag free from July 1. The ban includes includes bags at the checkout and boot liners.

While the hardware stores had already pledged to ditch plastic bags, it has now set a firm date.

Countdown announced on Monday it had chosen 10 supermarkets to go plastic bag free from May 21, with the remaining 172 to follow by the end of the year.

* Plastic bag ban continues with Mitre 10 and Z Energy**

Retail strategist Chris Wilkinson said other retailers would quickly follow Countdown's move to set a date.

'It'll push them into it [because] there's a pressure and an expectation from consumers.'

Wilkinson likened the plastic bag ban to the move towards selling only free-range eggs, he said.

'The consumer opinion that drives this type of change becomes overwhelming for the retailers.'

Mitre 10 would also be conscious of its competitor, Bunnings' move to ban plastic bags years ago, Wilkinson said.

Earlier this week, Countdown spokeswoman Kiri Hannifin said changing customer behaviour was one of the biggest challenges to phasing out plastic bags.

Mitre 10 marketing general manager Jules Lloyd-Jones said: 'Plastic bags have become so ingrained into our way of shopping that it's quite a significant mind-shift to get into the routine of bringing your own bag'.

'While there are many shoppers who have already established the routine, and we've noticed that number increasing, we want to make the change as smooth as possible for those not there yet.'

Customers who forgot to bring their own bags could buy a reusable bag at the counter, Lloyd-Jones said.

Plastic boot liners would be replaced with recycled paper sheets, she said.

Countdown was the first company to announce it was banning single-use plastic bags.

Since then, a number of supermarkets, hardware stores, and clothing brands have followed suit.