Producer of compostable packaging, MyEcoBag, has launched a new partnership with Ritchies IGA, following a successful trial in a select number of stores earlier this year.
The partnership offers customers reusable compostable shopping bags as an alternative to traditional plastic and paper, while educating shoppers on the impacts of each.
The partnership comes after an eight-week trial in five Ritchies IGA stores across Victoria, where the bags were reportedly so well received by the stores’ growing customer base, that the partnership has now rolled out to all 76 Ritchies stores in NSW, Victoria and Queensland.
MyEcoBag will be working with staff to teach shoppers about the benefits of compostable bags through educational campaigns and live demonstrations.
Jarrod Swaine, national merchandise general manager at Ritchies IGA, said the customer response to the interstate rollout has so far been overwhelmingly positive.
“Customers are happy they have another choice, and people love that they can reuse the bags in the kitchen for food scraps, and easily place it into their council green bin or home compost,” Swaine continued.
“From a functional perspective, the bags have performed well against their paper counterparts, fitting more items within than paper bags, and holding the weight with ease.
“Every two in three customers opted for the compostable option over traditional paper bags, with customers requesting more as soon as they sold out. A fantastic result, and we’re really looking forward to seeing the results across the broader Ritchies network.”
Richard Tegoni, CEO of MyEcoBag, said the partnership has been a great case study for what’s possible, and one that he hopes will influence the wider industry to move towards a more environmentally-friendly option, at a much faster rate.
“In our latest effort to promote sustainability, we are excited to showcase the versatility of compostable materials through the widespread use of shopping bags,” Tegoni said.
“This initiative aims to acquaint a broader audience of shoppers and consumers with the practical and environmental benefits of choosing compostable bags, a choice that reflects MyEcoBag’s commitment to a sustainable circular future.
“Retailers often move in unison, mirroring successful trends. By demonstrating that shoppers are embracing the transition from paper to compostable options, we anticipate influencing a broader shift across various industries and types of retailers, beyond just supermarkets.”
Since January 2024, the MyEcoBag brand of products has increased its presence and are in more than 2400 Australian stores, including Woolworths and Coles supermarkets, Ritchies IGAs and other independent retail distributors.
