SINGAPORE, 10 February 2023 – NTUC FairPrice (FairPrice) today announced that it had saved over 57 million plastic bags in 2022 from its “No Plastic Bag” initiative, almost double its set target of 30 million plastic bags to be saved annually. 

Chan Tee Seng, Chief Sustainability Officer, FairPrice Group said that FairPrice continues to drive the sustainable consumption agenda to encourage a shift towards more sustainable habits and lifestyles. “One of the ways consumers can contribute by going green is bringing their own bags to the supermarket. FairPrice started our journey of encouraging behaviour change over 15 years ago. Last year, the number of plastic bags saved almost doubled our target of 30 million annually. While we recognise that changing behaviours and habits are not something that can be achieved overnight, with sustained and concerted effort, we are seeing more of our customers respond positively to this change, because they share the desire to create a more sustainable future for all.”

FairPrice first sought to encourage shoppers to ‘bring your own bag’ (BYOB) in 2007 through a rebate scheme called the Green Rewards Scheme. The programme ran for a decade and saw FairPrice saving an average of 10 million plastic bags annually. 

In 2018, FairPrice implemented a more holistic programme that addressed internal processes, the need for public education and industry partnerships. As part of the revamped programme, the “No Plastic Bag” initiative was introduced in September 2019 where seven selected supermarkets and convenience stores charged customers for plastic bags. In 2022, the initiative was implemented across all 178 Cheers and Fairprice Xpress convenience stores and 11 FairPrice supermarkets. 

FairPrice’s “No Plastic Bag” initiative is aligned with the Ministry of Sustainability and Environment (MSE) and the National Environment Agency (NEA) mandate to charge for disposable carrier bags at supermarkets. The initiative will come into effect in mid-2023.

FairPrice Group’s sustainability efforts

As part of its sustainability efforts, FairPrice Group (FPG) champions efforts such as the “No Plastic Bag” initiative and “FairPrice-CSR Food Waste Reduction Programme”. In addition, FPG is also aligned with the Singapore Green Plan 2030, a whole-of-nation movement to advance the national agenda on sustainable development.

More details on FPG’s sustainability framework can be found on its annual sustainability report at fairpricegroup.com.sg/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/ar-2021.pdf