Woodward Corner Market
Re-launches Reusable Bag Program
In a step toward increased sustainability, starting Friday, April 22 (Earth Day!) Woodward Corner Market will relaunch our reusable bag program and eliminate single-use plastic bags at our checkout,
encouraging reusable, recyclable alternatives.
When we opened Woodward Corner Market in January 2020, it was important for us to help our community to reuse, recycle, and repurpose. Our reusable bag program was a key component of our store's market model in order to create a sustainable system and reduce our economic footprint.
However, in March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, we made the decision to offer single-use bags in order to minimize the spread of potential germs during an unsure period of time when grocery stores were some of the only places we could shop. The safety of our team and our customers is one of our top priorities.
Although our plans shifted, our ideals stayed strong.
That is why we are re-launching our reusable bag program on Earth Day 2022 (April 22nd)!
We started out this way, and now we are ready to get back to it!
As a store, we are aiming to eliminate single-use bags by encouraging customers to bring their own reusable bags and selling reusable and recyclable bags at the register.
Customers who do not bring their own bags will have the option to purchase two types at checkout.
Our first option is a
10-cent low-density polyethylene bag
made of 80 percent recycled content.
Woodward Corner Market Multi-Use Bag
Retail Price 10¢
Woodward Corner Market Multi-Use Bag
Retail Price $1.00
Option two is a $1 black bag that is 100 percent recycled through our plastic bag recycling containers located
in the front of the store.
Each type is third-party verified to be used “up to 125 times" depending on load weight.
We get it – change is hard! New habits take time to develop, so we have everything you need to start early.
Next time you shop at Woodward Corner Market, bring your own bags from home or shop our selection of
reusable bags starting at just 10 cents each.
Meijer is committed to lessening our impact on the environment one step at a time. The decision is not only good for the environment, but it also serves our shoppers who value corporate responsibility.
“We understand this is not a common practice, but we believe this is the right move for this community and our customers”
Questions and Answers
Q: Why are you removing single-use plastic bags from checkout?
A: We are removing single-use plastic bags from checkout to remove waste and improve recycling. We believe our shoppers will partner with us on this initiative to make Royal Oak a cleaner neighborhood. Thank you in advance for your partnership!
Q: When will this change begin?
A: It all starts on Earth Day, Friday, April 22, 2022!
Q: Why doesn’t WCM offer single-use plastic bags like at a Meijer supercenter?
A: Meijer is committed to reducing waste and improving recycling, and while we offer plastic bag recycling at our stores, not as many customers utilize this option as we would hope. When Meijer opened this store, we saw a big opportunity to reduce single-use plastic in our store by not offering our traditional single-use bag from day one. We have various high-quality reusable bags for sale, starting at just $0.10.
Q: What bag options do I have?
A: We encourage customers to bring and use reusable bags. If you need new reusable bags, we offer a selection of high-quality bags for $0.10 to $1.00
Q: What do I do if I forget to bring my reusable bags?
A: If you need new reusable bags, we offer a selection of high-quality bags starting at $0.10.
Q: Are you going to get rid of plastic bags in your other
Meijer stores?
A: At this time, we encourage our customers to use reusable bags or to recycle their plastic bags in the front of the store. As we get more feedback from our customers at WCM, we will be able to apply what we learn to the supercenter as well.
Q: What about paper bags for liquor purchases or plastic bags for produce?
A: We will still offer small paper bags for bottles purchased at our liquor desk due to safety. The paper bags we source are made in Michigan from 40% recycled materials. At this time, we are also not removing single-use plastic bags from produce. We encourage you to purchase reusable bags for produce, recycle the bags you use in our plastic recycling bins at our entrance, or stop using produce plastic bags altogether – many fruits and vegetables have natural protection in their inedible peels.
Q: How do I recycle my bags?
A: Woodward Corner Market has dedicated recycling bins for bags you no longer want to use. Our recycling bins at the entrance accept a variety of plastic bags and flexible plastic films, including: grocery bags (#1-4 plastics), case overwrap, produce wrap, newspaper sleeves, dry cleaning bags, ice bags, packaging air pillows, LDPE/HDPE films, food storage bags, cereal liners, and bread bags. For more information, you can head to how2recycle.info.