Photo: RNZ (file)Single-use produce bags are to be phased out by Countdown - the first New Zealand supermarket chain to do so. Some Countdown stores will remove plastic produce bags ahead of a shift to get rid of them in all of the chain's stores. Most single-use plastic grocery bags were banned in New Zealand from 1 July 2019, but an exception was made for produce bags, bin liners and dog-poo bags. Greenpeace said Countdown's plan to remove the plastic produce bags would be a positive step, but more could be done. Lee also called on Countdown to not replace the single-use plastic produce bags with paper, and said that still resulted in too much unnecessary environmental damage.

Source: Otago Daily Times July 02, 2022 15:29 UTC