Manx Co-operative food stores are to stock a new range of longer-life reusable carrier bags, which as well as helping the environment will allow shoppers to raise bags of cash for good causes in the island.
An estimated 70 per cent of coastal plastic waste is from carrier bags, and the move by the Co-op, which has 10 stores on the island, is designed to help cut the number of plastic carrier bags in circulation.
From this week all the profits from sales of the Co-op’s reusable bags will be reinvested in the Isle of Man, by being donated to good causes.
The move means that any money made by the Co-op on sales in the Isle of Man of its new woven reusable large shopping bag, a new woven reusable small shopping bag (which doubles as a bottle carrier) and new fold-away bags (all available for £1 each), as well as its redesigned 10p bag for life, will go to good causes.
The Co-operative Food has 10 stores on the Isle of Man and expects the move will raise thousands of pounds that will go to projects in local communities.
Andrew Corrie, the Co-operative’s operations manager for the island, said: ‘We have a strong commitment to the environment and we have an aspiration to reduce the numbers of plastic carrier bags that are in circulation.
‘By buying any of our range of £1 bags, customers will not only be contributing to the environment, but they’ll have a stylish carrier which can be used time and time again, and they’ll be raising money that will go to good causes. Together we can reduce, reuse, recycle, and also reinvest, in the Isle of Man.’
The Co-operative Food will confirm which good causes can bid for the funding generated by bag sales, and how they can apply, later in the year.