A piloting initiative has been launched in the US to reduce single-use plastic bag waste through ambitious in-market interventions.
- The Consortium to Reinvent the Retail Bag, managed by Closed Loop Partners, will launch two reusable bag pilots in three US states, with multiple retailers.
- The two complementary pilots will take place in over 150 stores, collectively engaging national retailers and local shops to test a range of solutions that aim to support customers in adopting reuse.
- The Returnable Bag Pilot will run from April to July 2023, while the Bring Your Own Bag Pilot will be active from May to July 2023.
- Together, the two pilots paint a potential future where complementary reuse approaches work in parallel to reduce single-use plastic bag waste, focusing on increasing the use of existing reusable bags in the market, as well as creating solutions for when customers forget their own reusable bag.
The First Pilot: The Consortium’s first pilot, the Bring Your Own Bag Pilot, will focus on testing the impact of collective action by retailers in driving broader cultural shifts, where bringing reusable bags becomes the norm wherever customers shop.
- Participating retailers include seven national brands—CVS Health, Target, DICK’S Sporting Goods, Dollar General, The Kroger Co, TJX and Ulta Beauty.
- The Consortium is also engaging retailers beyond the Consortium, from mom-and-pop shops to large brands, to reach even more local residents.
- All participating retailers will test the same solutions from the Consortium’s recently published Playbook—including signage, marketing and customer prompts about reusable bags—in stores across Denver, Colorado; Tucson, Arizona and the surrounding areas.
The Second Pilot: The Consortium’s second pilot, the Returnable Bag Pilot, will test a new reusable bag solution to serve customers when they forget to bring their own reusable bags to stores.
- CVS Health and Target, two Founding Partners of the Consortium to Reinvent the Retail Bag, will collaboratively pilot a new ‘returnable bag’ service model across multiple stores, offering customers the opportunity to buy a bag at checkout, to be returned to any participating store to get their $1 deposit back.
- The bag will then be washed, redistributed and reused by other customers. This service model was built by the Consortium based on insights gathered over the last two years.
- The Returnable Bag Pilot will take place in New Jersey, where recent legislation banning single-use bags in certain stores underscores a need for reuse solutions that are environmentally sustainable and convenient for customers.
What They Said:
We need to consider a range of needs, contexts and policy landscapes to create a less wasteful future for the retail bag. These two pilots are complementary by design, understanding that a diversity of solutions is needed to effect systems change and mitigate unintended consequences. We are bringing retailers together to advance reuse solutions collectively that support customers and reduce single-use plastic bag waste.
— Kate Daly
Managing Director and Head of the Center for the Circular Economy
Closed Loop Partners
As we expand these reusable bag solutions across CVS Pharmacy locations and learn about consumer behaviors, we continue to see the power in collective retail action. With everyone’s drive, dedication and collaboration, we will continue making a lasting impact on creating a healthier world today and for future generations.
— Sheryl Burke
Senior Vice-President (Corporate Social Responsibility) and Chief Sustainability Officer
CVS Health
We’re proud to work with our guests, communities, and partners like the Consortium to Reinvent the Retail Bag toward co-creating an equitable, regenerative future together. Through our collective efforts, these pilots will offer valuable insights for enhancing circular capabilities and providing accessible alternatives to the single-use plastic bag for all.
— Amanda Nusz
Senior Vice-President (Corporate Responsibility)
Target
