Kroger encourages reusable bagging

The Kroger Co. invited customers to design a reusable shopping bag through an annual online contest. Customers went online at www.kroger.com/green to submit their designs for Kroger’s reusable grocery bags.

The winning designer received a $1,000 gift card and a chance to see their bag design sold in Kroger stores. In addition to the winner of the contest, 4 finalists were awarded a $250 Kroger gift card and 5 runners-up received a $100 Kroger gift card.

Lynn Marmer, group vice president of corporate affairs for Kroger, said the contest was a natural fit for the retailer and its family of stores, given the company’s commitment to sustainability efforts. In 2009, Kroger and its family of stores sold an average of nearly 13,000 reusable shopping bags per day. Every reusable bag has the potential to save 1,000 plastic bags over its lifetime.

“By using more reusable shopping bags and engaging in more efficient bagging techniques, Kroger customers and associates diverted nearly 200 million plastic bags from local landfills – about 20 percent toward our goal of saving 1 billion plastic bags,” she said.