Singapore supermarkets prepare for plastic bag surcharge with sustainable alternatives

SINGAPORE — To prepare for the upcoming disposable carrier-bag surcharge, supermarket outlets in Singapore will be proactive in supporting and encouraging their shoppers in the transition to more sustainable alternatives.

Starting from 3 July, larger supermarket operators in the city-state will be required to charge a minimum of five cents for each disposable carrier bag provided to customers at their physical stores.

The objective is to encourage consumers to adopt more sustainable practices and promote reusable bags, said the National Environment Agency and the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment. The low five-cents surcharge also aims to minimise the cost impact on shoppers.

Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment, announced that during the transition period, some outlets will install reusable bag racks and emphasised the importance of reducing plastic waste.

"This is really an important step in reducing disposable in Singapore, in our journey towards Zero Waste nation," she said during a visit to the NTUC FairPrice outlet at HomeTeamNS Bukit Batok Clubhouse on Monday (19 June).

"Shoppers will be more mindful of the number of disposable carrier bags they take. In fact, better still, we hope that Singaporeans will inculcate the habit of bringing their own reusable bags."

Supermarkets gear up for a greener shopping experience

To facilitate a smooth transition, supermarket operators have trained their frontline staff to ensure efficient checkout processes, while reminding customers to bring their reusable bags or opt for plastic bags with the surcharge.

Chan Tee Seng, FairPrice Group's chief sustainability officer, acknowledged that implementing such a scheme may have initial challenges, but expressed confidence in the positive response from shoppers and the adaptability of supermarket staff.

"In any implementation of this nature, there will obviously be challenges. But by and large, as evidenced by the statistics we have, the majority of customers have accepted them very well," he said.

"Our staff have been able to speak to customers and help them accept the change. We will continue to work closely with our staff and customers during the implementation."

Khor added that posters would be displayed at the outlets, raising awareness about the disposable carrier bag charge and promoting the use of reusable bags. Similar messages will also be displayed in HDB and condo lift lobbies from Thursday.

Selected supermarket outlets will also install reusable bag racks to encourage shoppers to purchase the bags for use.

"Anyone who may forget to bring his own reusable bags, or maybe doesn't have enough, can actually use the bags from the bag racks," Khor explained.

Singapore aims to emulate the success of similar schemes in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Britain, all of which have reduced plastic bag use by 60 to 90 per cent.

Championing plastic bag surcharge for sustainable future

FairPrice will be among the major supermarket chains implementing the plastic bag surcharge.

For self-checkout counters, customers will find a barcode for the bags. If a customer takes five bags, they will have to scan the barcode five times. This system operates largely on an honour system, relying on customers' honesty.

Should customers choose to check out at the cashier counter, the cashier will remind them about the bag surcharge and provide assistance accordingly.

Chan emphasised FairPrice's dedication to reducing plastic bag usage and outlined their targets for a greener future.

"We have been working on encouraging customers to use reusable bags for the last 15 years," he said. "Starting in 2007, we implemented the green initiative to incentivise customers to bring their own bags, and in 2019, we implemented a 10-cent charge per transaction that happens in 11 of our supermarkets and 178 of our convenience stores.

"With this latest implementation on 3 July, we are focused on three groups of people: empowering our frontline staff, helping our customers accept and embrace the change, and collaborating with the community."

FairPrice, in collaboration with grassroots organisations, is installing reusable bag racks in their outlets to promote the habit of reusing items and provide a sustainable shopping experience for customers.

The funds generated from the plastic bag surcharge will also be dedicated to environmental and social causes.

"The charges collected will be used for environmental and social causes, as outlined by the government's guidelines," explained Chan. "We don't have exactly what projects to support at this moment, but the general guideline is around supporting environmental and social causes."

There are currently 11 FairPrice outlets where customers are charged 20 cents per transaction when they request plastic bags at the cashier, regardless of the number of bags used.

FairPrice also operates 178 convenience shops, such as Cheers and FairPrice Xpress outlets, where the charge per transaction for plastic bags is 10 cents.

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