Retailer Brown Thomas has defended its decision to impose a 60 cent charge for paper bags, a move it says has been taken out of concern for the environment with the profits to be used to plant trees across Ireland.
The charge, introduced late last month, will impact shoppers in Brown Thomas and Arnotts and will be imposed irrespective of the size of the bag a customer is given.
It is the latest retailer to start charging customers in Ireland for paper bags, but it is demanding significantly more than the 10 cent being sought by other chains such as Zara, H&M and Eason.
Brown Thomas, which said the move was part of an “afforestation initiative”, described the 60 cent charge as “nominal” and suggested the bags could be reused.
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It said the profits would be invested in planting trees in Ireland and that it aimed to reduce paper usage in its branded packaging by more than 50 per cent “ensuring that customers can continue to enjoy the experience of [its] branded bags while supporting a sustainable future”.
The initiative is being run in partnership with Crann – a voluntary organisation dedicated to the promotion and protection of trees, hedgerows and woodlands – and aims to see 100,000 trees planted over the next decade.
“Our new partnership with Crann underscores our dedication to the environment and highlights the critical need for afforestation in Ireland,” said Brown Thomas-Arnotts chief executive Donald McDonal. “We were the first retailer in Ireland to set science-based targets to reduce our emissions, and now we are the first to commit to aiding afforestation efforts on the island of Ireland.”
Crann chairman Peadar Collins noted that “Ireland has one of the lowest tree cover rates in the EU” and said the collaboration is a demonstration of “how businesses and environmental organisations can work together to positively impact our natural heritage”.
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