Give away fewer bags, improve image and save money

If retailers can give away fewer bags, not only can they make profits but also improve their image with customers and other stakeholders. Without causing any inconvenience to customers. Here’s the business case for it: 

• Profitable: Lower bag consumption means lower transaction costs for you.
• Customers will know you care: Despite initial objections, customers will see sense in what you are proposing. They will realize the benefits to the environment and wildlife if they themselves are a bit more caring. When they realize you are trying to be a corporate citizen, they will respect you and bond closer with your brand.
• Customer Loyalty: If you are seen as a company that cares, the bonding you create with customers will lead to higher loyalty levels.
• Free advertising: When you sell reusable bags, make sure your logo is on it. That’s free publicity for you wherever the bag goes.
• Good PR: You never know when a journalist lurking around the corner comes sniffing for a good story to find yours out of the bag!! Any publicity, even in local newspapers and channels, is good publicity.
• Customers will talk about you: Whether they take a bag from you or not, if you repeatedly drive home the message of the harm bags cause to the environment and the wildlife, will get your customers talking about you to others. It is natural. That’s free publicity and brownie points by word of mouth.
• Lesser bags means more money in everybody’s pockets: And why not? Retailers save money, that is more money for them. And if these savings are passed on to customers, it means more money for the customer.

A tip for a good cause: Create great local PR. Don’t give away free plastic bags – charge 10 cents per bag and give the proceeds to local charities. Ikea USA charges five cents for each bag, and uses this collection for tree plantation programs according to the company website.