King Soopers To Phase Out Plastic Bags By 2025
By Joel Hillan
DENVER (CBS4)- The grocery store chain Kroger announced a program Thursday that will transition their stores to get rid of plastic bags and to use solely reusable bags over the next seven years.
"By 2025 we want to eliminate single-use plastic bags," said Adam Williamson, Director of Corporate Affairs for King Soopers, which is owned by Kroger.
It's a bold initiative by a grocery store chain that serves nine million customers a day. Kroger, the country's largest grocery chain, will gradually transition to reusable bags at its nearly 2,800 locations.
"It's the right thing to do and really when we think about our environment, we need to be a part of the solution and not a part of the problem."
Customer Betsy Weitzman has been using her own reusable bag for years.
"I think it's a great idea," she said. "They hold a lot more than the plastic bags, if you put too much weight in the plastic bags the handles break or the bags go, so no, I would do this in a heartbeat."
And she's not alone.
"I carry my backpack and reusable bags everywhere, even if they offer plastic bags," said customer Angie Marcois.
The process of eliminating plastic bags will gradually roll out over the next seven years so customers like Khamila Knight will be more than ready when it happens.
"Usually when you go grocery shopping you plan ahead anyway, so just plan ahead, keep one in the car, it's not that hard," she said.
What about paper bags? Kroger says that's not the solution either, as the paper bags have their own carbon footprint.
They say they will also be looking at a plan to transition away from single-use produce bags as well as the plastic wrap and Styrofoam used in the meat section.
Joel Hillan anchors CBS4 This Morning on weekends as well as reports stories for CBS4 News at 5 and 6 p.m. Follow Joel on Twitter @joelhillan.
