Do not buy a bag! Stockmann and WWF Finland campaign together to gather funds to protect the Baltic Sea

Want to protect the seas of the Earth? Participate by not buying a shopping bag the next time you go shopping. Stockmann starts co-operating with WWF Finland and during September donates 5 cents for the protection of the Baltic Sea for every purchase, when the customer does not buy a new plastic bag or paper bag.

In order to reduce the consumption of shopping bags and thereby plastic waste, Stockmann will start charging for shopping bags in all the departments of its department stores from the beginning of September in Finland. In the Tallinn and Riga department stores, charging for bags will begin over the fall 2017.

At the same time, a campaign is launched in Finland, during which Stockmann donates 5 cents to the protection of the Baltic Sea from every purchase, when the customer does not buy a new plastic bag or paper bag. So favor a re-usable bag or re-use the shopping bag that you bought earlier.

New look and more responsible options for shopping bags
The change is a continuation to Stockmann’s responsibility work. The consumption of plastic bags has been reduced by introducing new, more responsible options, including reusable bags. In Finland, Globe Hope’s reusable bags made of old outdoor advertisements and old sails are on sale in all departments. Stockmann Delicatessens selection includes a spacious re-usable bag which is 85% made of renewable sugar cane. The proportion of recycled materials has been increased in plastic bags, which are now all at least 80% recycled material. Paper bags are made of FSC-certified wood.

”We want to contribute to the important issue and we are constantly looking for ways to reduce the environmental impact of our operations. Our new and stylish shopping bag selection is part of this development. I am confident that environmental issues are also close to heart for many of our customers and that they realize that reducing bag consumption through making them cost is a good thing for the environment”, says Maiju Niskanen, Head of Stockmann Retail.

No plastic – the seas will thank you
Today, the plastic waste in seas is one of our fastest growing environmental problems. Every year, millions of tons of plastic waste will end up in the seas around the Globe, and plastics are also a serious threat to our nearby Baltic Sea. There is no effective way to remove plastic waste from the sea, so the best way to have an influence is by reducing the use of plastic.

”Everyone can make a difference. It is important for companies to offer their customers concrete opportunities for eco-friendly deeds in everyday life. Do not buy a bag is a good message as it reduces plastic consumption in daily life. Re-usable bags are an alternative to plastic bags, and this campaign encourages people to take them as part of their daily lives”, says Secretary General Liisa Rohweder, WWF Finland. 

”Charging for bags is an effective way to reduce plastic bag consumption, and a new bag is not necessarily needed for every purchase. Now we are fulfilling our promise to extend charging for bags. All shopping bags have environmental impacts, and therefore the charge applies to both paper and plastic bags. Our goal is to reduce the consumption of all shopping bags”, says Stockmann’s CSR Manager Johanna Stenbäck.

The change to start charging for shopping bags is part of the sustainable development commitment that Stockmann made in October 2016. The background of the commitment is the EU Packaging Waste Directive and its objective to reduce the consumption of plastic carrier bags and the littering of the seas.

The co-operation campaign with WWF Finland will be implemented in all Stockmann department stores in Finland from 1 to 30 September 2017. Tenants operating in the department stores are also encouraged to start charging for shopping bags.

Additional Information:
Johanna Stenbäck, CSR Manager, tel. +358 46 876 1529
 

The new stylish, graphic look of the shopping bags