The Retailers’ Response to Shoppers’ Concerns

Biodegradable bags at the check-out counter are only one indication of a new concern in supermarkets: Shoppers increasingly are “thinking green,” say retailers who are scrambling to meet customer demands for environmentally sound materials.

The trend started about a year ago, says Al Marasca, executive vice president of marketing for Ralphs’ 143 stores. “It’s the whole issue of environmental safety--everything from plastic bags to phosphates and residue-free pesticides. We know customers want them--they ask for the products, they write letters.

“We are trying to understand the situation. One thing we’re considering is identifying items throughout our stores that manufacturers claim are environmentally safe.”

In the debate over plastic bags, he said “our role is in trying to understand the situation. I attended a presentation last night by a manufacturer who made the point that there is not such a thing as biodegradable--that the landfills actually preserve things, not degrade them.

“Right now, this is an issue that I don’t feel real comfortable with.”

In San Francisco, Judy Decker, who is communications manager for Lucky’s 357 stores in California, emphasizes a holistic approach to the throw-away problem. “Biodegradability isn’t a solution,” she said. “Landfills today are sealed so they can’t create other toxic problems. So you have a Catch 22: The bag is biodegradable, but it can’t biodegrade, because it has to be put into a landfill that won’t let it.”

Many manufacturers, she said, are looking at various other ways to reduce solid waste. “They are talking about items that come in smaller packages, items that can be sold as concentrated products (like taking liquid soap and letting the consumer reconstitute it at home). We have to reduce all sorts of packaging. We just can’t keep filling up the landfills.”

Vons Cos. Inc. has just launched a pilot program for recycling plastic check-out bags. “When you consider that just about everyone sooner or later goes to the grocery store, and people really like plastic bags, we think this is a real way of making a contribution,” said Vickie Sanders, spokeswoman for the 328 Vons stores in Southern California.

The supermarket chain is working with Challenge Bag California, Inc. of Rancho Cucamonga. “We have developed a system that allows us to manufacture a good-quality recycled bag. This is unusual,” explained Challenge senior vice president Arthur Abrahams. “We also do the recycling and supply a collection bin so that customers can return check-out bags.

“This is a community service for Vons and for us.”