FreshStop, South Africa’s largest and fastest-growing convenience retail brand, has introduced a range of environmentally-friendly eco-bags and reusable cups and has become one of the first convenience retailers to do so in the country. The brand has for many years been eco-conscious and adopted various initiatives such as its ‘withdraw the straw’ and ‘get drastic on plastic’ campaigns.
“Internationally, the trend over the last few years has been for c-store chains to become more environmentally-friendly and conservation-conscious. At FreshStop, sustainability and responsible retailing has been at the heart of our business and our latest green initiatives speak to this,” says Joe Boyle Managing Director at FreshStop.
Apart from existing in-store solutions such as environmentally-friendly LED lighting, biodegradable straws, and reusable coffee cups, FreshStop has recently introduced a range of eco-bags and Bamboo reusable cups.
With plastic bags taking on average 400-plus years to decompose, FreshStop has introduced a reusable paper bag that is strong and made from 100% biodegradable material. The second option is a reusable Pouch Bag, which is a great alternative to single-use bags. It is durable, lightweight, cleanable and conveniently folds into its own pouch, and can easily be attached to your car keys or fit into a carry bag. And thirdly, the larger shopper bag is made from 100% recyclable material.
FreshStop’s most recent eco-friendly solution is a range of Bamboo Reusable Cups in four green-theme designs. The mugs are made from 70% natural bamboo fibre, 15% corn starch and 15% melamine, and retail for R109.99. The bamboo fibre is sourced from sustainable forests and the mug is fully recyclable.
An additional incentive is that customers who bring in the cups for coffee refills will be eligible for a R2.00 discount on coffee purchases and FreshStop Rewards App users can claim R30.00 back when purchasing one.
Furthermore, there is currently a R15.00 reward value offered on the purchase of a Pouch Bag, an R8.00 reward value on the Shopper Bag, and R2.50 reward on the brown paper bag until end-April for Rewards App users.
According to Warryn de Klerk, National Buyer at FreshStop, the introduction of eco-friendly packaging options and the bamboo cups has garnered positive feedback from retailers and customers alike.
“The most popular product has been the paper bag, which has been increased in size based on customer feedback. The woven and pouch bags are also gaining in popularity”.
