THE SM GREENBAG GETS BIGGER, BETTER AND BRIGHTER!
Who doesn’t own an eco-bag, make that eco-bags? There’s probably one conveniently stored in your purse, in the car’s compartment, or hidden somewhere in the kitchen.
Shopping with reusable bags has become the norm as pollution and climate change continue to pose a threat to our health and the environment.
But when SM Supermalls introduced the SM Greenbag, the first reusable shopping bag in the Philippines, 10 years ago, it was met with strong resistance.
“Our goal was to encourage people to bring their own bags. We strongly believe that the SM Greenbag was the catalyst needed to shift local shopping habits towards greener practices. We implemented this by giving SM Greenbag users incentives and charging a minimal amount for every plastic bag request. As expected we received complaints,” recalls Joey Mendoza, president, SM Supermarket.
Mendoza admits that it was a bold move, but SM was determined to endure the birth pains of pioneering such a program if it meant doing something good for the environment.
“We really got hurt when we started the initiative. There was an initial drop in sales, but because the idea was good and we believed in it, we continued,” shares Mendoza. “While some rejected the idea, there were shoppers who purchased the Greenbags and slowly preferred using it — and it became a habit — this gave us comfort that we were on the right track.”
Two years later (in 2009), SM Supermalls collaborated with Manuel Baldemor and launched SM Greenbags bearing environmental artwork designed by the artist himself. This is the same year that they launched the Join the M.O.B. (MyOwnBag) campaign, which declared every Wednesday plastic-free.
“As pioneers, we had to lead by devising ways for more people to join our advocacy. We soon introduced the lighter P10 SM Greenbag, as well as the limited-edition chiller bag perfect for frozen and chilled items.
SM CARES — FOR THE ENVIRONMENT!
In 2010, SM finally reaped the fruits of its labor. The DENR lauded its environmental efforts as the model program which sparked a trend among its affiliates — even its competitors.
In 2012, SM Markets won the Philippine Quill Award from the International Association of Business Communicators and was declared the Champion for the Recycling Category and Candidate Master overall in the 2013 Zero Basura Olympics (ZBO) for Business.
“The awards affirmed that we were making a difference!” enthuses Mendoza.
The SM Greenbag, in partnership with SM Foundation Inc., Unilever and other SM affiliates, also paved the way to planting over 536,479 trees funded by the amount collected from plastic bag sales during the Join the M.O.B. days.
“We couldn’t have done it without the support of our shoppers; those who believed in our advocacy, the primary movers of our campaign,” adds Mendoza.
10 YEARS OF DOING GOOD
Now in its 10th year, the SM Greenbag, the good bag, gets bigger, better and brighter!
At the launch, we were given the new limitededition SM Greenbag filled with Unilever products, which sports stylish chevron waves of red and green. We even got to personalize it with cool patches at the DIY booth.
“It’s our privilege to be a partner of SM’s Greenbag program to promote greener and more sustainable shopping habits,” said Unilever Philippines chairman Benjie Yap. “Collaboration with like-minded companies allows us to address the public demand for socially and environmentally responsible companies and the accolades received by this program is a testament to the positive impact of partnerships,” Yap says.
For only P35, the new SM Greenbag now boasts larger capacity — up to three shopping bags combined. This means your holiday shopping just got better.
Celebrity mom Camille Pratts loves SM Greenbags’ chevron prints, “which is uso now!”
“I also love the fact that it’s bigger now. You can use it not just for shopping but also as a gym bag, diaper bag, and picnic bag,” enthuses Camille. “As a mom, I always teach my son how to take care of Mother Nature. At home, we use recyclable items to limit plastic usage.”
Well, plastic bags are not bad per se, it’s improper disposal of our carry-out bags that poses the threat.
“Reusability is key. Yes, plastics, paper bags, and boxes can be reused but it’s always better to opt for a bag that can be reused multiple times — cutting consumption and helping reduce waste to zero,” adds Mendoza. *** The new limited-edition SM Greenbag is available for a limited-time only in SM Markets stores nationwide for only P35.