Waitrose & Partners UAE supports Government’s ban on single-use plastic bags

Waitrose & Partners UAE supports Government’s ban on single-use plastic bags

In Dubai, the Government has imposed a 25 fils tariff on single-use plastic bags and aims to completely ban the use of these plastics by 2024. To accelerate customers’ adoption of reusable bags, when customers bring one or more bags to shop with at store – regardless of what bag material or brand – Waitrose will discount 25 fils from their total bill. By completely removing the option for customers to use plastic bags, Waitrose believes it can help lead a journey of change, and make waste a thing of the past.

According to the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (EAD), 11 billion plastic bags are consumed annually in the country. This is equivalent to 1,182 plastic bags per person annually – an extremely high rate compared to the global average of 307 bags per person annually.

Sunil Kumar, CEO of Fine Fare Foods which owns and operates Waitrose UAE, said: “This ban is yet another step forward to a sustainable way of living that we are committed to encouraging at Waitrose. Waitrose is continuously innovating to reduce its environmental impact and emissions, and while we know there is still a lot of work to be done, the removal of