Loblaw Companies Inc: Provide sustainable food packaging before Earth chokes on plastic!

The Issue

Plastic is choking the planet Earth.  As global citizens, the time has come for us to do something about it. 40% of plastic in Canada is generated for packaging - much of that for the food we eat. 

CBC's "Marketplace" recently broadcast an episode devoted to plastic food packaging, and the fact that supermarkets are not offering consumers a choice when it comes to what their fruits, vegetables and other foods are packed in.  THERE IS ANOTHER WAY.  The show profiled a supermarket in London, England called "Iceland Foods" which recently went plastic-free in 10 weeks.  The owner suggested that the big chains could do it, too... but that it's up to consumers to put the pressure on them. 

Sarah R. Davis is the President of Loblaw Companies Inc. in Canada.  Ms. Davis, we hereby ask that you request your suppliers to immediately begin using environmentally friendly plant-based food packaging made from things like plant cellulose and bamboo, etc. WE WILL NOT BUY FOODS PACKAGED IN PLASTIC ANYMORE.  The time for change has come, and you have the power to be an agent of change.  Please don't let the planet down.  Please don't let Canadian consumers down. 

258,987

The Issue

Plastic is choking the planet Earth.  As global citizens, the time has come for us to do something about it. 40% of plastic in Canada is generated for packaging - much of that for the food we eat. 

CBC's "Marketplace" recently broadcast an episode devoted to plastic food packaging, and the fact that supermarkets are not offering consumers a choice when it comes to what their fruits, vegetables and other foods are packed in.  THERE IS ANOTHER WAY.  The show profiled a supermarket in London, England called "Iceland Foods" which recently went plastic-free in 10 weeks.  The owner suggested that the big chains could do it, too... but that it's up to consumers to put the pressure on them. 

Sarah R. Davis is the President of Loblaw Companies Inc. in Canada.  Ms. Davis, we hereby ask that you request your suppliers to immediately begin using environmentally friendly plant-based food packaging made from things like plant cellulose and bamboo, etc. WE WILL NOT BUY FOODS PACKAGED IN PLASTIC ANYMORE.  The time for change has come, and you have the power to be an agent of change.  Please don't let the planet down.  Please don't let Canadian consumers down. 

The Decision Makers

Alain Brandon
Vice President, Sustainability, Social Impact and Government Relations, Loblaw Companies Limited
Responded
I want to thank everyone who has signed this petition, and Karen for starting it. Karen and I had the chance to chat about her petition and the focus Loblaw is putting on reducing plastic waste. As we discussed, while there is a lot of work to tackle the problem, Loblaw has put a very real focus on the issue of plastic waste for many years and has recently doubled down on its efforts. As mentioned in the past year we have: -Committed to making all our control brand and in store plastic packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025 -Announced that we are eliminating front end plastic grocery bags by early 2023 -Worked with other key Canadian retailers and brands to champion the global Golden Design Rules to improve plastic packaging and promoted them directly to all our vendor partners. -Piloted different reusable option in our stores like the current pilot at some of our Zehrs stores (https://www.guelphtoday.com/following-up/local-zehrs-to-test-guelph-companys-reusable-food-containers-5465035) -Further embraced extended producer responsibility which hold brands responsible for the full cost to recycle packaging it puts in the market place. -Reduced plastic use where it was not needed like the triple wrapped cucumber and banana box plastic (https://www.loblaw.ca/en/an-appeeling-way-to-reduce-plastic-waste) -Launched over 100 other initiatives, all focused on reducing plastic waste Please continue to send me your suggestions on new approaches we could adopt or packaging you think we could improve. Again, thank you for taking the time to demonstrate your advocacy on this important challenge. All the best, Alain Alain Brandon Vice President, Sustainability, Social Impact and Government Relations, Loblaw Companies Limited
Galen G. Weston
Galen G. Weston
Chairman and President of Loblaw Companies Limited

Supporter Voices

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