NZ - 22% Pure?

The GetReal Campaign team is not cracking open the champagne over the news that the Packaging Accords 20% target for reducing plastic bag use has finally been achieved.

"It has taken 5 years to get to 22% using a voluntary approach. We heard this morning that Foodstuffs have achieved 50% in 3 weeks with their 5c charge. It is easy to see which approach has been the most effective.” said Sue Coutts from GetReal.
 
"We all know that we need to change the way we use resources to guarantee our quality of life in the future. What we are arguing about is the best method for creating the change we need”

"The weaknesses with voluntary product stewardship systems have been exposed.” 
"The fact that we have Foodstuffs Wellington pulling back on their 5c bag charge, despite achieving a 50% reduction in bag use, at the same time as they are reporting support from the majority of their customers and no drop in market share is amazing.” 

"It is profoundly depressing to be going into the new landscape for Product Stewardship established by the Waste minimisation bill, knowing that major players are still using the same old lines to justify their 'do as little as possible’ approach.” 

"Paul Curtis is telling us today that reaching the 20% target is a major achievement for the parties to the packaging accord." said Sue Coutts " down our way 50% is a pass mark and you don’t get a pat on the back for much under 80%.”

"We all need to show some commitment if we want to generate any advantage from 'clean green’ branding. "

"NZ - 22% pure just doesn’t have the same ring to it.” 
The GetReal crew has been busy today fielding calls and messages about the Foodstuffs pull back.

"What’s fascinating is that whether people agree with the 5c charge or not, everyone sees the packaging that’s going into our reusable/plastic bags as the real problem.” said GetReal director Gwilym Griffith Jones.
 
"The Foodstuffs figures show that we can 'make a difference’ overnight. We have the tools. We could solve the plastic bag issue and move onto much more interesting and complex issues. Instead we keep coming back to bags over and over again. How much time do we want to waste on this?” said Sophie Ward from Sustainable Wanaka. 
"We keep hearing the same old arguments trotted out in favour of plastic bags. In Australia shopping bag use dropped by 560 million, bin liner sales went up by 38 million, that’s a net reduction of 522 million.”

Ends

Contact: Sue Coutts 027 322 9675 or [email protected]

About Get Real: GetReal was set up by a bunch of passionate Kiwis who care about good design and waste reduction www.getreal.org.nz             

Why are we campaigning about this? Putting a charge on plastic shopping bags leads to big reductions in the number of bags taken by shoppers. It has worked all over the world. It could work here in NZ too.