A Project to Reduce Plastic Shopping Bags: A Case Study by Consumer Co-operative Kobe

  • Miyaji Takeshi
    Environmental Activities Management Section, Consumer Co-operative Kobe

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Other Title
  • レジ袋ごみの発生抑制  生活協同組合コープこうべのレジ袋削減の取り組み
  • セイカツ キョウドウ クミアイ コープ コウベ ノ レジブクロ サクゲン ノ トリクミ

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Abstract

Reflecting upon lessons from the second oil crisis, when a chain reaction of panic was set into motion due to commodity shortages, Consumer Co-operative Kobe launched a campaign in 1978 to encourage the re-use and reduction of plastic shopping bags. The campaign provided an incentive for re-using plastic shopping bags by offering a discount of 50 yen whenever a customer filled up a‘Re-use Card’with an accumulated 10 stamps. Each time the customer carried their own bag (s), rather than taking new ones, they were rewarded with one stamp on the card. Since this campaign was only able to achieve a 15% increase in bag reuse, it was necessary to implement a different system. Since June 1995, consumers must now pay 5 yen per plastic bag, on an autonomous basis. Using this approach, the rate of consumers bringing their own shopping bags jumped to 77.4%. Since June 2007, a charge of 5 yen per plastic bag is being collected at all stores, while Consumer Co-operative Kobe is in the process of making agreements with all local governments in Hyogo Prefecture to enhance this movement to reduce the amount of disposable plastic bags being used (15 such agreements have been concluded with municipalities at the end of August 2008) . The results of these efforts is that the rate of customers using personal shopping bag has surpassed its targeted 90%, and is currently up to 90.4%.

Journal

  • Waste Management Research

    Waste Management Research 19 (5), 207-214, 2008

    Japan Society of Material Cycles and Waste Management

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