3 Wal-Mart stores start bring-your-own bag policy BY M.S. ENKOJI McClatchy Newspapers
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — It’s BYOB at Wal-Mart. Customers must bring their own bag to three California Wal-Mart stores to haul home all those eggs, soup cans and sandwich meat — or shell out 15 cents to buy a reusable bag at the store. No more free bags at checkout at two Sacramento stores and a third store in Ukiah, Calif. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. launched an experiment in October at the three stores to ease customers into the BYOB habit as the huge retailer attempts to reduce its global waste by one-third by 2013. First, the stores posted signs encouraging customers to provide their own bags and also began selling reusable bags. The 15-cent model is royal blue and lightweight polypropylene fabric. A roomier model sells for 50 cents. All are washable. The company also trained some checkers to pack more into each bag and looked into thinner bags using less plastic as alternatives. The store discontinued free bags altogether Saturday at the three stores. The stores were chosen because the customers in those communities had already signaled an interest in environmental issues, said Wal-Mart spokeswoman Amelia Neufeld. ......................>>>>............>>>>................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r00504&AppName=1