Environment

Consumers still favour plastic bags due to cost-effectiveness

Consumers in Vietnam are reluctant to use eco-friendly products made from natural materials as they are more expensive than plastic products, according to economic experts.
Consumers still favour plastic bags due to cost-effectiveness ảnh 1Consumers check products at fresh food and vegetable sections in a supermarket in Hanoi (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Consumers in Vietnam are reluctant to useeco-friendly products made from natural materials as they are more expensivethan plastic products, according to economic experts.

Normally, eco-friendly products cost twice as much as plasticproducts, causing consumers and small businesses to be reluctant to use theformer.

The Government has set a target to use 100% of environmentallyfriendly plastic bags and packaging in shopping malls and supermarkets by 2025and to ensure the collection, reuse, recycling, and treatment of 85% of plasticwaste.

Facing the serious danger of plastic waste to the environment,many legal documents on this issue have been issued.

In Hanoi, many supermarkets have managed to reducenon-biodegradable plastic bags and replace them with 100% biodegradable bagsand banana leaves. However, the number of products wrapped in banana leaves andbiodegradable bags is still modest compared to the number of goods on sale.

Acting Director of Hanoi’s Department of Industry and Trade TranThi Phuong Lan said that to support businesses, the department would continueto propose mechanisms and policies to introduce and consume eco-friendlyproducts.

It would also promote the development of infrastructure,collection and recycling services for hard-to-decompose plastic waste,single-use, and non-degradable plastic bags; research on advanced technologytransfer mechanisms for recycling hard-to-decompose plastic waste.

From mid-2021, the Institute of Strategy and Policy on NaturalResources and Environment under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment,in collaboration with the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade has called forbusinesses to sign a commitment to join the Alliance of Retailers to reducenylon bags.

So far, 16 retailers have registered to join the alliance and arecommitted to working together to reduce plastic bags and single-use plasticproducts.

A Central Retail Vietnam Group representative said that, as amember of the Alliance of Retailers to reduce plastic bag consumption, all ofCentral Retail's supermarkets are no longer trading single-use plastics such aspipes.

Instead, its supermarkets have piloted using biodegradable plasticbags made from cornmeal and potatoes to help customers accompany thesupermarket in environmental protection./.
VNA
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