LAKELAND, Fla.— Since 2007, Publix Super Markets has led initiatives to reduce the use of paper and plastic grocery bags used at checkout. The company has emphasized the importance of sustainability by training front service clerks and cashiers to increase the number of items per bag, implementing bag reduction goals for each store, holding communication campaigns to encourage the use of reusable bags and donating reusable bags to non-profits and partner organizations throughout the southeast. Such activities have helped reduce the use of paper and plastic grocery bags by more than one million per day. And on May 10, the number of bags saved since mid 2007 surpassed the 2 billion milestone.
“At Publix, we are fortunate to have customers and associates who are committed to sustaining our environment,” said Maria Brous, Publix director of media and community relations. “That’s why we focus on the responsible use of environmental resources, and offering our customers and associates options when choosing paper, plastic or reusable bags.”
The company has offered in-store recycling of paper and plastic bags since the mid-1970s and introduced its first .99 cent reusable bags in mid-2007. Since the introduction, more than 21 million reusable bags have been sold at Publix locations.
In 2011, the company’s overall recycling rate was 49 percent. That year, 221,900 tons of cardboard, 8,800 tons of plastic and 3,200 tons of mixed paper were recycled by the grocery chain, which helped save approximately 3.7 million trees, 1.5 billion gallons of water, and 740,000 cubic yards of landfill space. In addition, Publix Pharmacy was the first regional supermarket chain to introduce prescription vials made from both new and post consumer recycled PET plastic. Last year, Publix recycled more than 2.3 million vials returned to its pharmacies by customers.
To learn more about the company’s sustainability efforts, or to view a copy of Publix’s 2010 Corporate Sustainability Report, visit www.publix.com/sustainability.
Publix is privately owned and operated by its 151,500 employees, with 2011 sales of $27.0 billion. Currently Publix has 1,051 stores in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee. The company has been named one of FORTUNE’s “100 Best Companies to Work For in America” for 15 consecutive years. In addition, Publix’s dedication to superior quality and customer service is recognized as tops in the grocery business, most recently by an American Customer Satisfaction Index survey. For more information, visit the company’s website, www.publix.com.
Source: Publix Super Markets