Albertsons Companies today announced that it has joined the Beyond the Bag Initiative, its latest step to contributing to efforts to reduce plastic waste.
The Beyond the Bag Initiative, launched by the Consortium to Reinvent the Retail Bag, is a multi-year collaboration across retail sectors that aims to identify, test, and implement innovative new design solutions that serve the function of today’s single-use plastic retail bag, delivering ease and convenience for consumers while striving to lessen the impact on the environment.
“Albertsons Cos. has a passion for innovation and shares Beyond the Bag’s vision of reinventing the single-use retail bag,” said Suzanne Long, Group Vice President of Strategic Sourcing & ESG. “Ensuring our products are better for our communities and the planet is a priority for us. We look forward to working with the Beyond the Bag Initiative to help create a more sustainable future.”
The Beyond the Bag Initiative has several foundational goals:
Convened by The Center for the Circular Economy at Closed Loop Partners, the Consortium includes retailers, environmental advisory partners, and third-party experts. Last summer, the Consortium launched a global innovation challenge to identify solutions to replace the current plastic bag, inviting entrepreneurs, designers, suppliers, and problem-solver to submit solutions. The Consortium expects to announce winning concepts in February. Eligible winners will receive funding, assistance in scaling, and get access to testing and potential piloting opportunities.
“It’s time for us to think beyond the status quo and reinvent the ubiquitous retail bag for a more sustainable future,” says Kate Daly, Managing Director of the Center for the Circular Economy at Closed Loop Partners. “We’re thrilled to welcome Albertsons Cos. into this consortium of leading retailers. Together, we can create impact at scale and tackle the challenge of plastic bag waste that spans companies and sectors.”
Throughout the next few years, Albertsons Cos. will continue to work on its own initiatives as well as collaborate with Consortium Partners to provide solutions for how to transport groceries home in a way that is both convenient for customers and more sustainable for the environment. The Consortium includes the three Founding Partners CVS Health, Target, and Walmart, as well as Kroger, DICK’s Sporting Goods, Hy-Vee, Meijer and Walgreens.
More information about the Beyond the Bag Initiative and its retail partners can be found here.
Additional plastic reduction efforts already underway at Albertsons Cos:
About Albertsons Companies
Albertsons Companies is a leading food and drug retailer in the United States. The company operates stores across 34 states and the District of Columbia under 20 well-known banners including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw's, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen and Carrs. Albertsons Cos. is committed to helping people across the country live better lives by making a meaningful difference, neighborhood by neighborhood. In 2019 alone, along with the Albertsons Companies Foundation, the company gave $225 million in food and financial support. In 2020, Albertsons Cos. made a $53 million commitment to community hunger relief efforts and a $5 million commitment to organizations supporting social justice. These efforts have helped millions of people in the areas of hunger relief, education, cancer research and treatment, social justice and programs for people with disabilities and veterans' outreach.
About the Consortium to Reinvent the Retail Bag
The Beyond the Bag Initiative, launched by the Consortium to Reinvent the Retail Bag, aims to identify, pilot and implement viable design solutions and models that more sustainably serve the purpose of the current retail bag. Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy launched the initiative with Founding Partners CVS Health, Target and Walmart. Kroger joined as Grocery Sector Lead Partner, DICK’S Sporting Goods as Sports & Outdoors Sector Lead Partner and Albertsons Companies, Hy-Vee, Meijer, and Walgreens as Supporting Partners, alongside Conservation International and Ocean Conservancy as Environmental Advisory Partners. OpenIDEO is the Consortium’s Innovation Partner. Learn more about the Consortium here.
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Andrew Whelan
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