In an effort to raise awareness and encourage greener shopping habits, Saigon Co.op’s Co.op Mart Hue and Central Retail Vietnam’s GO! Hue supermarket are collaborating to organize a “Month Without Plastic Bags” event from July 3 to July 31, 2024. The initiative aims to reduce plastic waste and pollution in Hue City by promoting the use of reusable shopping bags among consumers.
According to Vietnam’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the country generates approximately 1.8 million tons of plastic waste annually. About 31.4 billion plastic bags are discarded every year, with only 17% of them being reused (2018 data). In Hue City alone, it is estimated that GO! Hue supermarket uses around 8,000 plastic bags daily, while Co.op Mart Hue uses approximately 3,100 bags per day. During the “Week Without Plastic Bags” event held in Hue in 2023, a significant reduction of 19,000 plastic bags was achieved.
With the theme “Green Shopping, Clean Living,” the “Month Without Plastic Bags” campaign encourages consumers to take the initiative and reduce their plastic bag usage by bringing their own bags or opting for environmentally friendly alternatives. As part of this event, GO! Hue supermarket will refrain from providing plastic bags at checkout counters every Wednesday from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM, starting from July 3 to July 31, 2024. Similarly, Co.op Mart Hue will not offer plastic bags at checkout counters all day on Wednesdays during the same period.
Shoppers at the two supermarkets during the event are encouraged to bring their own bags. Alternatively, they can use the available cardboard boxes or purchase environmentally friendly reusable bags at a discounted price instead of accepting plastic bags.
The launch ceremony for the “Month Without Plastic Bags” event, held on July 3, 2024, at GO! Hue supermarket, demonstrated the commitment of both GO! Hue and Co.op Mart Hue to reducing plastic bag and single-use plastic consumption. The supermarkets also presented their plans to decrease plastic and plastic bag usage in the future.
Speaking at the event, Ms. Hoang Ngoc Tuong Van, Project Manager of “Hue – A Plastic-Reducing City in Central Vietnam,” emphasized: “The 2024 Month Without Plastic Bags event builds on the success of the Week Without Plastic Bags held in Hue in 2023, aiming to raise awareness and change consumer behavior regarding single-use plastic consumption. We expect that each citizen will take a small but significant step by reducing their plastic bag usage when shopping, thereby creating a larger impact and fostering a culture of ‘green shopping.’ This will contribute to a circular economy and a more sustainable environment, making Hue a brighter, greener, and cleaner city, and a leader in plastic reduction in Central Vietnam.”
Representing Saigon Co.op, Ms. Duong Thi Tuat, Director of Co.op Mart Hue, shared: “Following the success of our collaboration in 2023 and aiming to spread the message of environmental protection even further, Co.op Mart Hue is honored to partner once again with WWF for the ‘Month Without Plastic Bags’ in 2024. This time, we are extending the duration of the event. While these are small steps in the grand scheme of environmental protection, we firmly believe that the collective efforts of individuals and organizations will lead to significant changes. Co.op Mart Hue always values the support and partnership of agencies, units, organizations, and customers in our journey towards building a better community.”
Mr. Chalermchai Pornsiripiyakool, Vice President of International External Affairs and Corporate Social Responsibility at Central Retail Corporation, added: “Since our establishment in Vietnam, Central Retail has been committed to being a responsible retailer, both environmentally and socially. This is why GO! Hue, a member of Central Retail, is proud to actively support the ‘Month Without Plastic Bags’ initiative in Hue City.”
