Reduction of disposable plastics

In recent years, problems with plastics have been expanding on a global scale, such as the generation of greenhouse gases when incinerated as waste and environmental pollution caused by disposal in rivers.
According to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) report "Single Use Plastics" released in June 2018, the amount of disposable plastic waste per Japanese person is 32 kilograms, which is the second largest in the world after the United States.
We will continue to work with our customers to establish a non-disposable lifestyle.

(Graph: UNEP Report on Single-use Plastics )

Graph: UNEP report "SINGLE-USE PLASTICS"

Reduction of shopping bags

AEON has been working with customers to reduce the use of disposable plastic shopping bags since 1991, when it started the "Bring Your Own Shopping Bag Campaign" to encourage customers to bring their own shopping bags. In 2007, it started to stop the free distribution of shopping bags at Jusco Higashiyama Nijo store (Kyoto), and in 2013, it was expanded to the food sections of AEON general supermarkets nationwide, and then the initiative was expanded to MaxValu and other stores, and in April 2020, free distribution of shopping bags was discontinued at all sales sections of group companies. Currently, more than 80% of customers cooperate with us in shopping with their own bags, and we have reduced the use of approximately 3.3 billion shopping bags in fiscal 2023.

Ending the provision of plastic shopping bags in clothing and home goods departments

In 2023, with the aim of further reducing the use of plastic shopping bags, we will stop providing plastic shopping bags for a fee in our clothing and home goods departments and have begun selling environmentally friendly paper bags to customers who need them.

Progress in reducing plastic shopping bags

Utilization of sales proceeds from shopping bags

The proceeds from the sale of plastic bags are donated to local governments and organizations in each area to be used for local environmental conservation activities such as greening and maintaining and cleaning planting areas. The cumulative amount of donations since 2007 through fiscal 2023 is approximately 1.2 billion yen.

An example of environmental conservation activities that utilize the proceeds from sales of plastic shopping bags

Exhibition on the theme of plastic waste problem (Hokkaido)

Environmental hands-on learning about the connection between forests and the sea (Iwate Prefecture)

2022 event support (Hyogo Prefecture)

Support for the construction of the Yanbaru Kuina Rehabilitation Center (Okinawa Prefecture)

AEON My Basket

A ``take-out basket'' that you bring with you when shopping. We will introduce a convenient way to use it that will save you the hassle of refilling after paying at the register.

AEON 's My Basket is

- Biomass-blended plastic is used.
・If you no longer need the item, we will refund the amount paid at the time of purchase. (This is only available at stores that offer AEON My Basket.)
・My Basket is intended for use by individual customers for their daily shopping with the aim of reducing plastic bags. It is not permitted for commercial or other non-personal shopping purposes.
・My Basket may not be available at some stores.

How to use My Basket

1) Stack the baskets installed in the store on my basket.

2) Place it on the cart and shop.

3) At the cash register, transfer from the in-store basket to my basket. No need to replace it with a shopping bag, just take it home.

In combination with "Regigo", it's smart

How to use My Basket x Regigo

1) Place your basket on the shopping cart and prepare a Regigo terminal or smartphone *.

2) Scan the barcode of the product you are purchasing and move the product to My Basket.

3) Pay at the Regigo exclusive cash register. There is no need to replace it with a shopping bag, and you can take your basket with you.

Reduction of plastic cutlery

AEON will gradually switch the spoons and forks it provides to customers to eco-friendly materials such as wood and paper, reducing the use of plastic by approximately 150 tons per year. We will value wood and paper as limited resources, encourage customers to only bring in as much as they need, and work with our customers to achieve a lifestyle without disposable items.

An example of environmentally friendly materials

* Handling varies depending on the store.

Environmentally friendly spoons and forks

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