By Lindsay Flint, Manager, Store Process and Innovation Implementation
This week, we will reach the exciting milestone of all Walmart Canada stores across the country eliminating single-use plastic shopping bags.
This is a big moment for our associates and our customers: making this change will help to prevent more than 680 million single-use plastic bags from entering circulation each year.
For context – that’s enough bags to circle the world nearly 10x!
Leading this initiative with a cross-collaborative team has been masterclass in how passionate our associates and our customers are about regeneration.
There has been so much work and dedication across the business that has gone into Walmart eliminating single-use plastic shopping bags, and I’m so proud to be working for a company that shares my own personal values about sustainability. For me, it’s proof that your passion can be part of your work.
Growing up in Northwestern Ontario, surrounded by lakes and forests, I’ve always been a champion for the environment. Since my daughter’s birth, preserving the environment has become even more important for me – I want her to grow up with the same respect for and access to nature that I did. I’ve seen these values within our customers, too – it’s a big moment for all of us to see this change come to life at Walmart.
As this initiative rolled out across the country starting on January 1, 2022 we saw firsthand how local actions can have a big impact. We quickly went from having 10 pilot stores participating to more than 54 by March. And now, as of April 22, 2022, we’ll see all 400+ of Walmart’s Canadian stores eliminate single use plastic shopping bags.
Our associates have been working hard to ensure our customers and stores are ready for this change, answering questions at store level and bringing incredible energy and dedication to this regenerative commitment. Watch the video below to hear more about what regeneration means to them.
Some of my favourite ways to bring my purchases home:
- Leave them in the cart and unload directly into my vehicle. I like to keep laundry baskets in my trunk to help make unloading at home easier.
- Reusable bags that fold up and fit in my jacket pocket or purse make it easy to remember my reusable options for shopping trips.
- Always keep an “emergency” reusable bag in the glove compartment for unexpected shopping trips
Walmart is on a journey to becoming a regenerative company - one that works to restore, renew and replenish in addition to preserving our planet, and encourages others to do the same. Eliminating single-use plastic shopping bags as of April 22, 2022 from all Walmart Canada stores is an important milestone on that journey – and one I couldn’t be more proud of.
