Most people have noticed the price increase of plastic carrier bags at the checkout. In shops that areMember of The Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund, this means that more money goes towards environmental measures.
“Many people believe that the money from plastic bags goes straight into the shops’ pockets. In our member retailers’ shops, that is not the case, as they pay a fee of NOK 4 per bag to us,” emphasises Cecilie Lind, CEO of The Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund.
But what does The Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund use the money for?
Enormous environmental benefits
The carrier bag fee is a deliberate measure to encourage people to use fewer plastic bags, in line with the EU requirement of a maximum of 40 bags per person per year.
So far, the plastic bag fees have financed more than 3,700 environmental measures, with more than NOK 2 billion distributed to projects in Norway and internationally.
The results are tangible: more than 22,000 tonnes of waste have been cleared, over 35,000 fish traps and 11,600 boat wrecks have been removed, and emissions of rubber granulate have been cut by 95 per cent on hundreds of artificial turf pitches. In addition, more than half of Norway’s outer coastline has been cleared throughThe Cleanup Norway in Time programme, and the funding has contributed to new circular solutions for everything from mattresses to coffee cups.
Not all expensive bags contribute to environmental measures
Today, members of The Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund account for around 80 per cent of the plastic bags sold in Norway. At the same time, some shops have increased the price of bags without being part of the scheme.
“It is important for consumers to know that not all shops pay the carrier bag fee. In some cases, the shop keeps the entire income itself. We therefore encourage people to check whether the shop actually contributes to environmental measures through The Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund,” says Lind.
Although the money from bags in member stores goes towards something good, the message remains clear.
“Plastic bags are unnecessary plastic and result in emissions from production, transport and incineration. The best solution is still to bring a reusable shopping bag or use other reusable alternatives,” says Lind.
