John Lewis Cheltenham taking proactive steps to cut down on plastic bags

John Lewis Cheltenham to be one of the first major UK high street shops to ask customers to bring their own carrier bags in a trial designed to cut down on single use plastic bags.

John Lewis Cheltenham has announced that from 21 May the shop will stop selling plastic carrier bags at its tills in a trial set up to reduce single use plastic. Customers will be encouraged to bring their own bags, but if they don’t have one they will be able to buy a reusable bag made from 100% recycled materials. 

Signage is going up in the shop this week to give customers notice of the 12 week trial. The signs will read “Help us reduce plastic wastage by bringing one of your own bags or buying one of our reusable options”. It’s estimated that the shop currently uses around 2.8 tonnes of plastic bags per year. The reusable bags will cost 50p for a medium sized bag and 75p for a large bag.

Martin Bundy, Partner and  Branch Manager at John Lewis Cheltenham said: “We’re really excited to start this trial. Everyone is so aware now that we all need to make radical changes to reduce our impact on the planet and we’re becoming much more used to taking our own bags when we go shopping. I think our customers will be really supportive of this trial.  I will be talking to them to get their feedback.”

The retailer’s Oxford shop is already plastic bag free.  The trial there was so successful that they have made the change permanently.

The initiative forms part of the retailers plans to reduce the amount of plastic it produces and recycles.  92% of all John Lewis’s own-brand primary packaging is now widely recyclable or reusable.

Cheltenham customers who sign up to the retailer’s free ‘My John Lewis’ loyalty scheme can earn **£5 off their next beauty purchase every time they bring back five empty beauty products. Last year John Lewis customers recycled 175,000 beauty empties in this way.

**Excludes aerosol cans, perfume bottles, nail polish bottles, hairbrushes, toothbrushes, and any electronic items such as blow dryers and straighteners.