FoE slams Tesco carrier bag plan

Marketing 09-Aug-06

Environmentalists have accused Tesco of failing to sufficiently address the issue of plastic waste with its initiative urging customers to re-use its bags.

Tesco plans to give Clubcard members points for using their own bags
instead of the supermarket's to encourage shoppers to use fewer bags and
to recycle.

The scheme will be supported by a TV ad campaign featuring Martine

McCutcheon, Paul Daniels, Ronnie Corbett, Alan Whicker, Alan Titchmarsh

and jockey Frankie Dettori.

However, Friends of the Earth said that even if the supermarket reduces
the number of carrier bags it hands out, it will still be giving away
3bn a year.

The international environmental charity also criticised Tesco's plans to
make its bags biodegradable. 'They will still be made from plastic and
still place huge demands on oil resources,' it said.

The group is also calling on the supermarket to reduce its food
packaging.