In an effort to reduce waste and improve recycling, Woodward Corner Market will not use single-use plastic or paper bags at checkout. Instead, the all-new store is encouraging customers to bring their own reusable bags or purchase two different types of reusable—and 100 percent recyclable—plastic bags, starting at 10 cents each.
Set to open Jan. 29, the new neighborhood grocery store operated by Meijer is among the first in the Midwest to only offer sustainable bag alternatives made to be used up to 125 times before needing to be replaced.
“Meijer is committed to lessening our impact on the environment, and we saw an opportunity to reinforce that commitment by not offering traditional single-use plastic bags from Day One at Woodward Corner Market,” store manager Natalie Rubino said. “We understand this is not a common practice, but we believe this is the right move for this community and our customers.”
Woodward Corner Market is the largest tenant of the Woodward Corners by Beaumont, a commercial development at the intersection of Thirteen Mile Road and Woodward Avenue in Royal Oak, Michigan. The retailer says the 41,000-s.f. store will focus on offering customers a unique shopping experience with a mix of fresh, convenient food and value. It will also offer Meijer and national brand products, and an estimated 2,000 local artisan items.
Customers are encouraged to bring their own bags, and will have the option to purchase two different types of reusable plastic bags at checkout.
- 10-cent bag: The low-density polyethylene (LDPE) bag is made from 80 percent post-consumer recycled content. It’s 100 percent recyclable through the plastic bag recycling containers in the front of the store. The bag is white and features the Woodward Corner Market logo on one side and recycling details on the other.
- $1 bag: This black LDPE bag is made from 80 percent post-consumer recycled content and 20 percent pre-consumer recycled content. It’s 100 percent recyclable through the plastic bag recycling containers in the front of the store. The bag is thicker and features the Woodward Corner Market logo on one side and, in a nod to the Woodward Dream Cruise, a car driving down Woodward Avenue on the other side. That image will also be featured inside the market.
Both bags have been third-party verified to be used up to 125 times depending on how heavy the load is they’re holding.
“We see more customers taking advantage of reusable bags available at all of our stores, so the opening of Woodward Corner Market provides a great opportunity to promote this option from the beginning,” Meijer President and CEO Rick Keyes said. “We will continue to look for ways to promote the use of reusable bags and reduce single-use plastics at all of our locations.”
