Some people aren’t exactly environmentally conscious, and so it takes a little extra shove to point them in the right, eco-friendly direction.
One Canadian super market is personally making it their mission to give those people that push and have started using hilariously embarrassing plastic bags in an effort to encourage customers to bring their own reusable ones instead, Global News reported.
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East West Market in Vancouver, British Columbia, hopes their humiliating bags will help people see plastic isn’t worth the embarrassment.
Each bag features a slogan worthy of the red face the carrier is likely to sport while toting them home.
These include such gems as “Weird Adult Video Emporium” and “Wart Ointment Wholesale,” neither of which I think anyone would be too proud to be caught carrying in their hands.
David Lee Kwen, owner of the market, said many customers forget to bring reusable bags.
He hopes this unique strategy will be incentive enough for those customers to opt for the more eco-friendly reusable option next time they enter the store, unless they want to experience the embarrassment of carrying those hilariously terrible plastic bags instead.
“The message is, we should make a conscious effort to save our planet one step at a time,” he said. “[Plastic bags] are a big problem, and every step helps.”
Not only are the bags embarrassing, but they also cost an extra five cents each.
This is the same strategy that other grocery retailers have adopted in an effort to discourage customers from choosing single-use plastic bags to carry their purchases.
While the campaign has definitely caused some pink cheeks, it’s also prompted people to purchase the bags for the novelty factor.
People want what’s weird and hilarious, and these bags are definitely both, so it makes sense that there are those out there who want to get their hands on a bag or two while the campaign is still going.
“It’s certainly generated interest,” Kwen said. “Once you start a conversation, it will skyrocket from there, I think.”
Victoria, another city in BC, has banned single-use plastic bags, but Vancouver has yet to do the same.
The city has, however, implemented a Single-Use Item Reduction Strategy, which requires businesses to come up with their own ways to reduce the use of plastic bags.
If targets aren’t met by 2021, the city will implement a full ban of single-use plastics.
The market’s hilarious campaign sadly won’t last forever.
Since printing the specialty bags cost the market an extra fee, Kwen said they’ll be ending soon, unless he can be convinced to start the campaign again.
h/t: Global News
