Kiwi PlasticBag Concern Research Report

New Zealand Supermarket Plastic Bag usage Survey Report

Written by: Angus Ho, BSc, MSc., Convenor of Kiwi PlsaticBag Concern


According to government data, New Zealanders use 1.14billion of petroleum based plastic bags every year, which equates to almost each person using 1 bag a day.  The aim of this survey is to investigate and understand the usage of plastic bags in supermarkets, and the view of customers on plastic bag reduction.

Methodology:
In the period of 11-2-2007 to 24-2-2007, volunteers of ‘Kiwi Plastic Bag Concern' have surveyed a sample of 400 people face to face as they were leaving supermarkets across the country. Supermarkets sampled included most major supermarkets: New World, Count Down, Woolworth, Freshchoice and PAKnSAVE.  Sampling areas included Auckland, Warworth, Lower Hutt, Wellington, Golden Bay(South Island).

Summary of key results of the survey:

  • When asked how many of the plastic bags they were carrying were necessary, over half (56%) the survey respondents' plastic bags handed out from supermarket were unnecessary.
  • At Pak-n-Save supermarkets (in the North Island), which charge for bags, only One Third of the number of bags were used per the dollar amount spent, as compared to other supermarkets who gave plastic bags for free.
  • 83% of participants generally drive their car to the supermarket - 77% of these people believed that could load the groceries to their car without using any plastic shopping bags - by simply keeping reusable bags/boxes/trolley in their car.
  • 80% of people believe supermarket chains should be doing more to cut down on the number of plastic bags they give out.
  • 90% of survey participants believed that a supermarket charge for every bag would dramatically cut down the current excessive bag use, and that a charge as low as 5 cents per bag would change their shopping behavior and cause them to bring their own reusable bags to the supermarket. Most people (44%) agree that supermarket charge of only 10 cents per bag would be effective.
  • 81% of survey participants believed that a legislated per bag levy, similar to the one in Ireland, would reduce the excess waste caused by the plastic bag.

  • For customer from Free plastic bag supermarkets, 325 customer total spent $421207.25, and they totally used 1363 plastic bags. 
  • On the other hand, 75 customers from Non free plastic bag supermarkets, they spent $9517 and totally used 193 bags.

Conclusion:
Kiwi PlasticBag Concern find the result of the survey show a general abuse of plastic bags in supermarket, and public generally have no awareness of the overuse of plastic bags and its environmental cost behind.  However, the customers think the levy would be a effective way to reduce the wastage and at least $0.1 per bag would be effective.  

The group has the following recommendations for cutting down on excessive plastic bag waste in different levels:

1. At an individual level - shoppers should change their habits and bring their own reusable bags to the supermarket - keeping reusable bags in the car boot or by the front door helps.

2. Supermarket chains should accept their corporate responsibility and immediately reduce their excessive use of bags. This can be achieved in the following ways:
·        Training checkout operators to encourage every customer to bring their own bags (BYOB) or use cardboard boxes
·        Initiating an extensive education and publicity program to remind people BYOB.
·        Providing alternatives like boxes at the checkouts or on the way into the supermarket. .
·        Implementing plastic bag charges similar to Pak ‘n' Save for not less than $0.2 per bag

3. At a government level:

  • Government should reset the Packaging Accord's supermarket target to a 50% reduction by 2010 and work with supermarkets to reduce their plastic bag use and look at initiating an extensive joint BYOB publicity campaign.

  • A plastic bag levy, similar to Ireland's, should also be seriously considered as part of a programme of activities where waste producing companies are ultimately financially responsible for the landfill waste and environmental costs they cause.

For any enquiry on this survey report, please contact Mr. Angus Ho by email angusho@gsc.org.hk or call (64)021 02798045 / (852)6176 1757, or Golden Bay Bag Ladies, Nicola Basham by email nicola.basham@xtra.co.nz or call 03 5248 733.  The survey data is open for public as environmental purpose but please credit the writer

Kiwi PlasticBag Concern is an alliance formed by different concern organizations including Golden Bay Bag Ladies-the first plastic bag free community in NZ, the bagsNOT (http://www.bagtax.org.nz/)  and the Green Teens in Nelson  and Angus Ho, Convener of "No Plastic Bag Day" in Hong Kong who successfully lined up 39 chains, 2400 shops to stop handing out plastic bags in 2006.