The Kroger Co, the largest U.S. grocery chain, announced Friday, August 23, 2018 that it will phase out single-use plastic bags and transition to reusable bags across its family of stores by 2025.
Seattle-based, and Kroger-owned QFC will be the company’s first retail division to phase out single-use plastic bags. QFC’s transition is expected to be complete in 2019.
The change is part of Kroger’s Zero Hunger | Zero Waste campaign. Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen said in a press release, “It’s a bold move that will better protect our planet for future generations.”
Some estimates suggest that 100 billion single-use plastic bags are thrown away in the U.S. every year. Currently, less than five percent of plastic bags are recycled annually in America, and single-use plastic bags are the fifth-most common single-use plastic found in the environment by magnitude.
Kroger said it will solicit customer feedback and work with NGOs and community partners to ensure a responsible transition.
