Our Commitment to Reducing Single-Use Plastics

Learn about our achievements and ongoing programs that work to reduce plastic across store departments and nourish our planet.

Every Year We Reduce 1 Million Pounds of Plastic

We’re committed to reducing single-use plastics in our stores because it benefits our environment, customers, team members and suppliers. Single-use plastics, which include plastic bags, straws, soda and water bottles, are used only once before they are thrown away or recycled. From day one, we’ve gone above and beyond to eliminate or replace these items with better alternatives.

First US grocer to ban plastics grocery bags and plastic straws, and use 100% recycled paper bags

In 2008, we became the first U.S. grocer to ban disposable plastic bags at checkout. In 2019, we became the first national retailer to eliminate all plastic straws from our cafés and coffee bars. This initiative has eliminated more than 20 million plastic straws annually. We're proud of these accomplishments, but our work is far from finished.

Reducing Single-Use Plastics

From our Prepared Foods department to our checkout lines, we've worked hard to reduce single-use plastics and offer alternatives across our stores. Many of these alternatives are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) opens in a new tab, an international nonprofit dedicated to preserving forest ecosystems. Here are some of the many ongoing programs and initiatives you'll find in our stores.

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