Carrefour celebrates Plastic Free July by encouraging the adoption of sustainable alternatives as part of its sustainability journey

• Every Wednesday, starting from July 3, Carrefour will be removing all plastic bags from its stores.
• Customers can enjoy a 33 per cent discount on Carrefour’s durable, reusable juco bag.
• Customers who bring their own reusable bags, or choose to purchase one in-store, will be rewarded with 5 extra SHARE points.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 1 July 2024: Carrefour, which Majid Al Futtaim owns the exclusive rights to operate in the UAE, is celebrating the internationally observed Plastic Free July by promoting the use of its durable, resusable juco bags with offers and rewards, in addition to limiting the availability of its reusable plastic bags throughout its stores in the country.

To mark the start of Plastic Free July, Carrefour is offering customers a 33 per cent discount on Carrefour’s durable, reusable juco bag, while customers who bring their own reusable bags or opt to purchase one in-store will be rewarded with 5 extra SHARE points. Complimentary fruit and vegetable reusable bags will be offered to customers who spend more than AED 40 in the section. Additionally, every Wednesday, starting July 3 – which coincides with International Plastic Bag Free Day – Carrefour will be completely free of plastic bags across all stores.

This initiative aligns with Carrefour’s commitment to phasing out plastic bags by actively encouraging customers to adopt more sustainable shopping habits, and follows the UAE government’s initiative to ban specific categories of single-use plastic bags in Dubai from the first of June. Carrefour now offers reusable bags thicker than 57 microns, complying with the new regulations, at affordable prices. This encourages the use of reusable options, contributing to a greener UAE and aligning with Majid Al Futtaim's vision of enabling healthier, more sustainable lifestyles.

Samar Elmnhrawy, Senior Vice President of Human Capital and Sustainability at Majid Al Futtaim Retail, commented: “At Majid Al Futtaim, we recognise our responsibility as a trusted retailer to take active steps towards reducing plastic consumption, especially single-use plastics. With over 80 thousand customers entering our stores daily, we see a significant opportunity to positively impact our planet and encourage sustainable lifestyles for future generations. This Plastic Free July, we are embarking on a bigger plastic-free journey to drive awareness and inspire positive change.”

She added: “Our efforts are aligned with the UAE leadership’s goals to eliminate single-use plastics. We hope to create tangible results that shift customer attitudes towards more sustainable shopping behaviour for a greener future.”

Dedicated to a plastic-free future

In its ongoing commitment to sustainability, Majid Al Futtaim Retail, in partnership with BEEAH and Sparklo and through its Reverse Vending Machine initiative, has collected over 20 tonnes of recyclables, which in turn prevented the release of over 185 tonnes of recyclables, release of over 1,140 tonnes of CO2. Additionally, since the national ban, Carrefour has recorded a 70 per cent reduction in single-use plastic bag usage.

Carrefour’s decision to reduce the use of plastic bags aligns with the priorities of ‘Better for the Planet’, a key pillar of the retailer’s ‘Choose Better’ programme designed to empower, educate, and reward customers to shop smarter and live better.

By improving the accessibility, affordability, and appeal of healthier and more sustainable choices, Carrefour is encouraging customers to make planet-friendly choices that do not harm the environment, including the purchase of greener products and utilising reusable bags when shopping.