Sales of plastic bags at grocery stores have fallen by as much as 40 percent since the stores jacked up their price from NOK 3 to NOK 4.25. The goal is to reduce consumption of plastic bags, in line with both EU and Norwegian guidelines, and it’s already being met.
The price hike went into effect from August 1. “It looks like we have used 18 million fewer plastic bags in August alone,” Cecilie Lind of the retailers’ environmental fund told news bureau NTB last week. The EU’s goal is for individuals to use only 40 plastic bags a year.
Sales of reusable bags exploded at the same time, up 360 percent at grocery chain Coop, 270 percent at Meny stores and 389 percent at Kiwi stores. The REMA 1000 chain reported 10 times as many sales of reusable bags in August.
NewsinEnglish.no staff
