Lagardère Travel Retail rolls out new global sustainable shopping bag strategy to reduce waste and plastic pollution

Lagardère Travel Retail, a pioneer in the contribution to a more sustainable Travel Retail industry, launches a new sustainable shopping bag strategy in all stores, aimed at reducing waste, stopping virgin plastic and fostering eco-conscious practices among travelers. Alongside this initiative, the company announces two strategic partnerships with renowned global organizations, Reforest’Action and The SeaCleaners to further materialize its commitment to environmental responsibility and to preserving biodiversity.

As part of its global CSR PEPS (Planet. Ethics. People. Social) roadmap, Lagardère Travel Retail is taking bold steps to promote responsible packaging and disposables and minimize waste to contribute to a more sustainable Travel Retail industry. To achieve these goals, the company is reconsidering its approach to shopping bags. This new sustainable shopping bag strategy, rolled out in all 5,000+ stores globally, is built around three key pillars and global strategic partnerships with 2 organizations which preserve biodiversity.

Reduce

The first pillar involves reducing the number of bags distributed in stores by no longer automatically offering bags to customers, ahead of any global regulations. By training our sales force to propose alternatives and consciously avoiding the distribution of unnecessary shopping bags, the company is proactively fostering a more sustainable shopping experience.

Responsible & Recyclable

The second pillar is about pursuing and strengthening the introduction of eco-friendlier shopping bags. Lagardère Travel Retail is switching from ordering traditional single-use plastic bags to alternatives made from materials which have the least negative impact considering the entire lifecycle of the bag and taking into account the global Travel Retail environment context. This includes options like certified FSC or PEFC paper bags. Given the different nature of products sold in our stores and the requirements of clients and partners, the range of shopping bags includes several other material options from bioplastics sourced from natural elements to woven bags made from recycled content. Materials, such as virgin plastic or oxo-degradable bags are banned and will no longer be ordered in our network. 

Go beyond & give back

To further champion sustainability and contribute to tangible actions to protect nature, the last pillar of this new sustainable shopping bag strategy is to give back to charities which preserve the environment. Lagardère Travel Retail has entered into strategic partnerships with two organizations, Reforest’Action and The SeaCleaners, both dedicated to biodiversity preservation and raising awareness on key topics such as deforestation and plastic pollution. To this end, Lagardère Travel Retail will join forces and donate part of the bag sales to support the initiatives undertaken by these organizations, amplifying their impact and helping to drive positive change globally.

This effort is part of a more comprehensive strategy fostering a sustainable approach to plastic and packaging.

Commenting on this announcement, Arnaud Rolland, VP CSR, said: “As retailers, we have an urgent responsibility to take tangible steps to promote a more responsible consumption, to cut down plastic pollution and find suitable alternatives to better protect nature. We are therefore thrilled to be on the leading edge in our industry and to support travelers’ expectations for more responsible shopping experiences by introducing eco-friendlier alternatives to virgin plastic bags. By partnering with two remarkable organizations, we also aim to play a pivotal role in preserving biodiversity. We invite customers, partners and stakeholders to join us on this exciting journey towards more conscious shopping experiences.” 

This initiative represents a significant step forward in our ambition to be championing sustainability in Travel Retail. For more information on our new sustainable shopping bag strategy and CSR commitments, please visit our website: https://www.lagardere-tr.com/en/sustainable-shopping-bag-strategy/