Wegmans is a beloved staple of upstate New York and, as the hometown of the famous grocery chain, one of Rochester’s crown jewels. When shoppers step into one of the warehouse-style stores that somehow still maintain a cozy charm, they can choose from a wide variety of brands for just one product, pick up dinner at the cafe, and browse the bakery for fresh treats. They can even stop by the pharmacy for their seasonal influenza vaccination, which the CDC recommends for every person six months and older. Despite all of these things that Wegmans offers there is one thing you can no longer do there: bring your groceries home in single-use plastic bags.
Starting on January 27, the supermarket chain will be removing those distinct brown plastic bags from its New York stores. This removal comes ahead of the statewide ban on all single-use plastic bags that will take effect a little over one month later, on the first of March. Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed this larger ban into law on Earth Day 2019. Those who support this eco-friendly initiative say that eliminating single-use bags will lower greenhouse gas emissions and litter as well as protect the environment.
At your neighborhood Wegmans, you’ll have two options for carrying your goods home. The company’s preferred option is that customers bring their own reusable bags, which Wegmans has been selling since 2007. A companywide survey recently found that 95% of shoppers already own at least one reusable bag and 87% own three or more. The customers who regularly use these bags say they prefer them over plastic because they are sturdy, easy to pack, and have good handles. And, of course, they’re also better for the environment.
The other option you’ll soon see at Wegmans is paying 5 cents to use a paper bag.
“By adding a charge for each paper bag, our hope is to incentivize the adoption of reusable bags and, in time, achieve our goal of eliminating all single-use bags,” said Jason Wadsworth, the packaging and sustainability manager at Wegmans.
According to Wegmans, the money collected from the fees will be donated to the region’s local food bank.
Customers who receive WIC or SNAP benefits will be exempt from the fee. The only other customers who can bypass the fee are those who order groceries through Instacart. Instacart is a service that allows customers to pre-order their groceries online and pull up to the store’s curb to pick them up. These groceries were previously packed in plastic bags, but will now be given to customers in paper bags. About 80% of internet users already have experience in ordering goods or services online. This waiving of paper bag fees and the added convenience of not trudging through the supermarket to pick up your groceries could encourage more shoppers to take advantage of Instacart.
The store will also be offering exceptions for single-use plastic bag use. They will keep a small stock in each store to package uncooked meat, bulk items, sliced or prepared foods, newspapers, carry-out orders from restaurants and markets, and prescription drugs.
This system has already seen success in pilot programs at Wegmans locations in Corning and Ithaca. Rather than becoming affronted at the idea of not being able to use plastic bags and calling up their lawyer to challenge the restriction, customers have actually flipped to the other side of the reusable-plastic party line. According to Wadsworth, 20% of the bags used across all Wegmans stores today are reusable. At the pilot stores in Ithaca and Corning, 20% of the bags used are single-use bags.
While the statistics are impressive, these positive results may not be all that surprising, as they are in-line with the values Wegmans — and its customers — hold: to help others. When you walk into a Wegmans, you’ll often see fundraisers for local sports teams or food banks, devices to assist customers who are among the 36 million Americans experiencing hearing loss, and friendly staff members ready to help you find that specific brand of shampoo or flavor of soup. Soon, you’ll see a widespread effort to help our fragile environment one reusable shopping bag at a time.
