Shoppers at 7 FairPrice outlets to pay for plastic bags in month-long trial

[SINGAPORE] Shoppers at some NTUC FairPrice outlets will soon have to start paying for plastic bags.

The supermarket giant will start charging 10 Singapore cents and 20 cents for plastic bag use at seven outlets in a month-long trial, starting from Sept 16.

The "No Plastic Bag" trial will encourage shoppers to bring their own bags, Fairprice said in a statement on Wednesday.

The seven stores are FairPrice Xtra at Hougang One mall, FairPrice Finest at Zhongshan Park mall, FairPrice at Maple Tree 18 mall, Cheers outlets at Sengkang Community Hospital and in Create Way and Aljunied Road, and FairPrice Xpress in Lorong Chuan.

Shoppers who want plastics bags will have to pay 20 cents at FairPrice, FairPrice Finest and FairPrice Xtra stores; and 10 cents at Cheers and FairPrice Xpress stores. Those who make the payment can use more than one plastic bag only if they buy enough items. FairPrice will donate the collection to the Singapore Children's Society and The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund.

In addition to the trial, FairPrice will be conducting a consumer sentiment survey on plastic bag usage.

"The insights we gain from this trial and the consumer sentiment study will help in developing a well-informed, measured and sustainable actionable plan to reduce plastic bag use," said NTUC FairPrice chief executive officer Seah Kian Peng.

FairPrice also announced on Wednesday that it is inviting Singaporeans to submit proposals to reduce plastic and food waste in Singapore. It will be launching a new S$1 million FairPrice Sustainability Fund to sponsor accepted projects.

FairPrice said that these environmental initiatives will get it closer to its target of saving 30 million plastic bags each year by 2030.

THE STRAITS TIMES