The Canada reusable container program will roll out in select stores in 2024.
The Canada reusable container program will roll out in select stores in 2024 to help reduce single-use plastic.
Our relationship with single-use plastic
As convenient as single-use plastic may be, it is not our friend. Single use plastics are generally made out of more than one type of plastic, making it difficult to separate and be recycled. Plastics will often end up in landfills or oceans, where they will take hundreds of years to decompose. There is increasing evidence to prove that microplastics are being ingested by animals and even humans.
Single-use plastics also use up a lot of non-renewable resources like crude oil, natural gas and coal. The production of single-use plastics contributes to resource depletion and the emission of greenhouse gases.
And yet, single-use plastics continue to be produced. Over 380 million tons of plastic is produced worldwide every year. Some of the most common single use plastic items are food containers, plastic bags, beverage containers, packets and wrappers and more.
From a grocery store perspective, single-use plastic is used for all sorts of reasons, including:
- Convenience: plastic bags are convenient for both the store and the customer
- Hygiene and food safety: plastic helps to maintain the fresheness of perishable goods by providing a protective barrier against contamination, moisture and pests.
- Cost-effectiveness: single-use plastics are often cheaper for these businesses to purchase compared to investing in reusable or biodegradable packaging
The Canada reusable container program.
As of June 20, 2023, the Government of Canada has prohibited the manufacturing, import and sale of single-use plastic checkout bags, cutlery, food service ware made from or containing problematic plastics, ring carriers, stir sticks, and straws. This is part of their plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet their target of zero plastic waste by 2030.
Three major grocery store chains in Canada, Walmart, Sobeys and Metro, are taking this zero plastic waste goal to another level. This year, the three chains will roll out a Canada reusable container program will roll out in select stores in 2024. in select stores in Ottawa, Ontario.
Customers will be able to purchase selected food items in those containers and then return them to drop-off locations inside and outside the stores. The containers will be provided to customers at no additional cost. The individual stores will be allowed to decide what types of reusable containers they use and for which products.
The Walmart, Sobeys, and Metro stores will share containers and organize cleaning, transportation, and logistics together, a first in Canada. The containers for the Canada reusable container program will be provided by Resuables.com, a reuse platform based in Vancouver designed to reduce single-use plastics in local communities. This reuse company will also provide smart return bins and will be able to track container movements through washing and distribution.
The Canada reusable container program is being run by the Circular Innovation Council and is supported by the Environment and Climate Change Canada. The country has seen reusable container programs on a smaller scale, with individual stores and restaurants encouraging customers to return the containers. Some places even add a deposit fee to the containers to motivate people to bring them back. This grocery store reusable container program is the first time a pilot or project involves multiple big-name stores.
The overall goal is that the Canada reusable container program will be successful and move to other food established like restaurants and be replicated in other parts of Canada. If this reusable container program is successful, we may even see reusable containers used by other major retail brands like Loblaws. This is a great effort to reduce single-use planet and encourage people to reuse resources and protect the planet.
