Home Retail Group news
Home Retail Group pledges support to government initiative
28 February 2007
Argos and Homebase have joined other leading retailers to pledge their support for a campaign to reduce carrier bag usage in the UK by 25% by the end of 2008.
The move comes in a joint initiative involving representatives from all areas of the retail sector and in response to a concerted call for action from Environment ministers in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. They have agreed to support the campaign together with the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and WRAP (the Waste and Resources Action Programme), which manages waste prevention programmes for the four governments.
Retailers will be reducing the environmental impact of bags by:
- encouraging customers to reduce significantly the number of carrier bags they use;
- reducing the impact of each carrier bag (e.g. by using less material or incorporating recycled content); and
- enabling the recycling of more carrier bags where appropriate.
There will also be further work to encourage carrier bag re-use.
Argos and Homebase carrier bag usage was measured at the end of 2005 and these levels will be used as the basis for improvement towards the target. Both Argos and Homebase have already made good progress to date, achieving reductions of 15% and 9% respectively. The composition of carrier bags is also being reviewed to minimise the impact of our bags on the environment.
In order to achieve the target by 2008 Home Retail Group has advised the government that a substantial publicly funded awareness campaign is required.
The government have said that if achieved, the 25% reduction target could reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 58,500 tonnes a year – equivalent to taking 18,000 cars off the road for a year. It is another example of the simple practical measures that can be taken to help tackle climate change.
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