THE Aldi store in Redditch is the first to scrap single-use plastic bags for loose fruit and veg.
The move is part of the supermarket’s campaign to reduce the volume of plastic bags sold and switch to reusable alternatives.
Later this month, 100 stores in the Midlands will trial removing free single-use plastic produce bags entirely.
Instead, they will be replaced with reusable drawstring bags, to test whether shoppers can be encouraged to bring their own bags for loose fruit and veg or reuse ones they have bought in store.
The drawstring produce bags are made from recycled bottles and retail at 25p.
If rolled out nationwide, scrapping single-use plastic bags will remove the equivalent of approximately 109 tonnes of plastic from circulation each year.
Fritz Walleczek, from Aldi, said: “We are determined to drastically cut single-use plastic, and evolving our approach to the sale and distribution of bags is an important step forward.
“We’ve charged for carrier bags since opening our first UK store in 1990, so our shoppers are already in the habit of reusing them, but these steps will hopefully help people switch to entirely reusable alternatives.”
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