Planet Ark Environmental Foundation for the
Department of the Environment and Heritage, March 2005
The survey – Key results: 5
If plastic bag distributors are found to be recalcitrant in taking up the distribution of plastic bag alternatives, we will try and identify possible solutions to this problem.
- All distributors surveyed stock plastic bag alternatives.
- 6 of the 7 distributors surveyed stock degradable bags.
- 5 of the 7 distributors surveyed stock paper and calico bags and 6 of the 7 stock polypropylene bags.
- Plastic check-out bags are the biggest sellers for all distributors surveyed. ‘Degradable’ plastic bags are their next biggest seller.
- 4 of the 7 distributors surveyed stated that retail customers requesting plastic bags are one of the key reasons for their decision to currently distribute plastic bags.
All the distributors surveyed for this report stock plastic bag alternatives and are not recalcitrant in this aspect at all. We found that the minimum order that distributors require for plastic bag alternatives is also well within the reach of even the smallest retailers.
It is also clear from our survey that what distributors stock and sell is purely driven by price and demand from their retailers. It follows that more outside pressure to push demand was the only help distributors stated they needed to increase sales of plastic bag alternatives.
If there were a greater demand from retailers, distributors would be happy to supply them with any plastic bag alternative they require, as their business would depend on it.
Here are some of their comments below:
- "No, all the demand is driven by our retail customers. There needs to be a bigger message communicated regarding the recycling of plastic bags and the public focus on plastic bag alternatives needs to be increased."
- "We go with the trend and stock accordingly."
- "No, all our bag business is driven by price and the customer."
- "We're purely price driven."
- "More outside pressure and more advertising is needed if plastic bag alternatives are to take off. If the bio bags were cheaper then that would help. Supermarkets are helping with changes in our customer attitudes."
- "We are a wholesaler driven by customer demand."
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