20th June 2007

NEWS RELEASE

New research shows that if you are female and live in the North Island you are more likely to be using an eco-bag when you shop…

Research conducted by AC Nielsen on behalf of the New Zealand Retailers Association into consumers’ attitudes towards plastic shopping bags is being used to inform a major campaign to be launched next week.

Both grocery retailers Foodstuffs and Progressive Enterprises will unveil their joint campaign at a launch in Wellington on 26th June which will be attended by the Minister for the Environment, the Honourable David Benson-Pope, Members of Parliament and representatives from signatories to the Packaging Accord.

Barry Hellberg of the New Zealand Retailers Association (NZRA) says that consumer awareness is vital to achieve the 20% bag reduction target agreed to in the Packaging Accord and so canvassing the opinions of 1001 New Zealanders has played a pivotal part in developing an appropriate campaign:-

“We now know much more about how to get shoppers on board, who to target and where. Over 8 in 10 New Zealanders received free plastic bags in the week of the survey and South Islanders received more than those in North Island. Only one third of us are currently using eco-bags and women are more likely to use them than men.”

“From next week whether you are shopping at Pak’n Save in Albany, Woolworths in Dargaville Countdown in Dunedin, Foodtown in Glenfield or New World in Timaru, shoppers will be challenged to think before they take a bag. This is a unique initiative by two competitors to deliver a consistent message to shoppers.”

“In the last two years grocery retailers have introduced eco-bags, reduced their use of plastic bags and the amount of plastic in them and saved in the process the equivalent of approximately 9 million 2 litre drinks bottles. But it’s not enough. This campaign will raise everyone’s awareness but more importantly will deliver results.”

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