SPAR Eastern Cape shone on the global stage when they won the award for consumer engagement in plastic reduction in recognition of their Stop Plastic campaign at the SPAR International Conference held in the Netherlands recently.
The theme of this year’s conference was International Responsible Retailing and saw managers from around the world gather to discuss and share their ideas.
The campaign first launched in April this year and saw SPAR encouraging customers to ditch plastic bags in favour of renewable options.
“Our mission is to create awareness about the dangers to the environment of plastic pollution. We are doing this because it is the right thing to do. I equate it to playing sport – if you play well, the scoreboard will take care of itself,” SPAR EC managing director Conrad Isaac said.
He said the campaign was successful and saw SPAR sell three million fewer plastic bags between April and September.
“Obviously our aim now is to keep adding to that. Every single plastic bag less that we sell means a better future for us all,” he said.
SPAR EC advertising manager Roseann Shadrach said a large part of the campaign’s success was due to the involvement of customers.
“Our customers have really come on board and have assisted us in receiving this recognition. We believe this will provide renewed incentive for them to carry on supporting the Stop Plastic campaign and there will be renewed respect for the initiative,” she said.