Keasbey, NJ – ShopRite is introducing America’s first durable yet compostable non-woven reusable shopping bag. The bag will be offered in selected ShopRite supermarkets in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware. For more than 30 years, ShopRite has been dedicated to preserving the environment and conserving natural resources and consistently works to procure green products to offer to its customers.“ShopRite has a long history of innovation and we continue to look for new ways to 'green' our business practices,” said Karen Meleta, ShopRite spokesperson. “We are proud to be the first retailer in the United States to offer these alternative new bags to our customers.”
As part of its ongoing commitment to the environment, ShopRite stores promote the use and purchase of reusable shopping bags and offer a rebate to consumers using non-disposable bags. These incentives have encouraged shoppers to be more conscientious in the use and reuse of shopping bags. In 2011, more than 58 million bags were reused by ShopRite customers and in the last five years ShopRite customers have kept almost 200 million bags out of landfills.
In its continuing efforts to offer new and innovative sustainable alternatives, ShopRite is working with Burbank, CA-based Earthwise Bag Company, Inc., the exclusive supplier of these biodegradable and compostable bags. This new 100% biodegradable and compostable non-woven shopping bag is manufactured from a combination of corn and tapioca fibers, using by-products from the food manufacturing process. This re-use of “waste” materials further reduces materials entering the waste stream. The bags are printed with water-based inks, sewn with cotton thread, contain no petroleum and are non-toxic and carry the ASTM 6400 certification, a national standard for biodegradability and compostability awarded by the U.S. Composting Council. They also carry a distinctive leaf embossing, which sets them apart from other bags in the marketplace.
The new bags will serve customers for at least 100 uses and can be composted at a commercial composting facility, where they will biodegrade within 90 days. These bags are machine washable and durable as they have been tested to hold 50+ lbs.
“We continue to encourage our customers to move toward reusable bags whenever possible and we are making more products available to consumers that are green or more sustainable by design, and we are making sure these products are available as interest in them increases.”
For more information on where you can purchase your 100% biodegradable and compostable reusable shopping bag at a ShopRite near you, visit http://www.shoprite.com today.
If you would like more information on purchasing the 100% biodegradable and compostable bags for your supermarket, prospective wholesale partners may contact Earthwise Bag Company, Inc. through their website at http://www.earthwisebags.com.
About ShopRite
ShopRite is the registered trademark of Wakefern Food Corp., a retailer-owned cooperative, based in Keasbey, NJ and the largest supermarket cooperative in the United States. With nearly 250 ShopRite supermarkets located throughout New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware and Maryland, ShopRite serves more than five million customers each week. A long-time supporter of key community efforts, ShopRite is dedicated to fighting hunger in the communities it serves. Through its ShopRite Partners in Caring program, ShopRite has donated more than $27 million to 1,700 worthy charities and food banks since the program began in 1999. As a title sponsor of the LPGA’s ShopRite Classic, ShopRite has raised more than $24 million for local schools, hospitals and community groups. Progressive Grocer named ShopRite its 2011 Retailer of the Year and Supermarket News awarded ShopRite its 2011 Retail Excellence Award. For more information, please visit http://www.ShopRite.com.
About Earthwise Bag Company, Inc.
Headquartered in Burbank, CA, Earthwise is the leading manufacturer of reusable bags in the U.S. They specialize in providing a full line of shopping bags, multi-use totes, insulated bags, wine totes and produce bags that combine functionality and aesthetics, offering a great reusable option at a very affordable price. They can also be fully customized, with a variety of colors to choose from and the option to display personal initials, graphics, messages, or a company logo. Earthwise is the brand of eco-friendly products that inspire responsibility and accountability because a fresh approach to feeling good about your planet should be simple, feel comfortable, and bring peace of mind. For more information, please visit http://www.earthwisebags.com.
Source: Earthwise Bag Company, Inc.
