Report: Stop & Shop Gets Top Grades in Reusable Bag Practices

A Long Island nonprofit group has released a report grading local supermarkets such as Stop & Shop, Waldbaum's and Trader Joe's on their reusable bag practices and policies.

In a report released last Thursday, Citizens Campaign for the Environment gave Stop & Shop an A+ grade and Waldbaum's a B+, but gave Trader Joe's an F.

Stop & Shop, with a location in Merrick Mall, scored well based on its availability of reusable shopping bags, its signage in stores and parking lots reminding customers to use them, and its offering of a five cent credit per reusable bag customers use at checkout lines.

"Stop and Shop has long taken a proactive approach to working with federal, state and local officials to support efforts that will make a real difference in this area," said Faith Weiner, director of public affairs for Stop & Shop.

Trader Joe's was among three supermarkets–King Kullen and Uncle Giuseppes being the the other two–in the report to receive an F-grade. The Trader Joe's on Merrick Road has a giant mural outside its entrance reminding customers to bring their own bags, but the store was hurt in the report by failing to "fully respond" and participate in the consumer report. 

Sage Myers, a merchant at the Merrick Trader's Joes, said she was shocked by the failing score since Trader Joe's has been selling reusable canvas bags for 30 years.

"I don't think our store deserves an F at all," said Myers, who added that unlike some other supermarkets, Trader Joe's allows customers to bring in their own non-store bought bags. 

Any customer who brings in a reusable bag gets entered into a weekly raffle for a $25 gift card to Trader Joe's, Myers said.

One local resident, responding to this story on Twitter wrote: "Unbelievable that tj's would fail a report on reusable shopping bags. Every bag they give out is reusable and can be recycled."

The report assessed supermarkets on nine criteria, including availability and cost of reusable shopping bags, signage in stores, windows and parking lots, discounts for reusing bags, cashier training, and willingness to participate in the consumer study.

"Grocery stores have helped create the problem of disposable bags and now we need them to help solve this problem," said Adrienne Esposito, executive director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment. "We hope all stores use this report as an opportunity to implement policies that encourage consumers to make the switch to reusable bags."