RICHMOND, Va. -- Wegmans will remove single-use plastic grocery bags from its Short Pump and Midlothian stores, a store spokesperson said about the grocery chain's plan.
"While paper grocery bags will continue to be available for a 5-cent charge per bag, Wegmans’ goal is to shift all customers to reusable bags," the spokesperson said.
Wegmans pointed to a recent store survey that found 90 percent of its Richmond-area customers believed plastic bags were bad for the environment and three out of four customers found reusable bags are more convenient.
"We’ve always understood the need to reduce single-use grocery bags. In markets where we’re facing plastic bag bans, we’ve seen the impact the ban, or the impending ban, has on shifting customers to reusable bags," Jason Wadsworth, Wegmans packaging and sustainability manager, said. "We’ve learned a lot from our employees and customers in these markets, who have really embraced the change. In Richmond, we want to learn how we can help customers make the switch when legislation isn’t the driving factor."
Wadsworth said eliminating plastic bags and charging for paper bags will help Wegmans achieve its goal of "eliminating all single-use bags."
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