Forget about a couple of pence off for using your own bag instead of the store's when you shop at Tesco.
The largest grocery chain in the U.K, is looking to reduce the amount of plastic bags it uses by giving customers a Clubcard program point for every bag they bring and fill with groceries. Under ordinary circumstances, Tesco awards Clubcard points at a rate of one for every £1 spent.
The latest move by Tesco, according to a report by The Guardian, is another in a series within the U.K. market where retailers try to outdo one another in a bid to be seen as "green" grocers.
In May, Tesco committed itself to reducing the number of bags it uses by 25 percent over the next two years. The company also announced all its bags would be biodegradable beginning in September.
Tesco chief executive, Sir Terry Leahy, said, "We have had a team looking at carrier bags, trialing different ideas in our stores and talking to customers about what we could do to encourage them to use fewer bags and to recycle the ones they do use. We have to move the emphasis away from trying to force change and onto rewarding positive behavior. In other words, a more carrot than stick approach."
Tesco will begin its public push for shoppers to bring their own bags to the store on August 14 with a series of television commercials.
Discussion Question: What is your reaction to Tesco linking loyalty card program rewards to customers bringing their own bags to the store? Do you see this element of Tesco's loyalty card program being adopted by other retailers?