FairPrice urges customers and staff to pledge support for Earth Hour and will donate $1 for each pledge received.
FairPrice will be switching off non-essential lighting at all its 90 over supermarkets across Singapore, as well as its corporate office and warehousing facilities, to support Earth Hour on 27 March 2010. Apart from this, FairPrice will also be making a donation to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) for each pledge from customers and staff to switch off their lights at home during Earth Hour.
Mr Gerry Lee, Deputy Managing Director (Group Business) and Green Committee Chairman of NTUC FairPrice, said, “FairPrice fully supports Earth Hour and we are urging both our customers and staff to join us and pledge their support for this cause by switching off their lights. Together, we will be able to make a concerted effort in saving our earth.”
From this Saturday, 20th March 2010, onwards, customers and FairPrice staff will be able to pledge to switch off their lights during Earth Hour at www.fairprice.com.sg or at www.facebook.com/thatsmyfairprice for facebook users. FairPrice will donate $1 to WWF for each pledge received and targets to contribute up to $10,000 for this cause.
FairPrice will also be leaving its non-essential lights, like signage light boxes and façade lighting, off beyond the stipulated one hour for participants. All stores will have non-essential lights off from 8.30pm to closing time. FairPrice stores that open 24 hours will do so from 8.30pm to 7.30am the following day.
Not all lights can be switched off due to safety and security considerations. It will be business as usual at all FairPrice stores during this time.
FairPrice to Launch Internal Green Policy in Conjunction with Earth Hour 2010
To sustain its green efforts in daily business operations, FairPrice has formalised its various ongoing internal green practices into a Green Policy that will be launched to all its staff in conjunction with Earth Hour 2010. This comprises a number of environment-friendly measures, such as the use of energy-saving lighting and water-saving devices, reducing paper use, and using reusable grocery bags for staff purchases.
Mr Lee added, “The Green Policy was formalised to ensure we continue with our internal green efforts in a more focused and sustained manner. This will remind us to make sure our green practices are being observed daily.”
Other Green Initiatives
The ongoing FairPrice Green Rebates Scheme to encourage shoppers to bring their own shopping bags has to date saved more than 43 million plastic bags and given out more than $500,000 in rebates since it was launched in 2007. Customers at FairPrice supermarkets enjoy a 10 cents rebate for bringing their own bag.
Last December, FairPrice also launched Singapore’s first eco-friendly supermarket at City Square Mall, which features the use of recycled store fixtures, energy-saving equipment and lighting, as well as recycling machines.
