In an effort to minimise packaging waste ending up in landfills, Woolworths has announced that 50 of its stores will switch to being plastic-free by the end of April.

The retailer said it already has a plastic-free store in Malmesbury and the next store will be opened in Rustenburg.

Woolworths said it will no longer sell single-use plastic bags, as part of its vision is to steer towards zero packaging waste to landfill. The retailer said while it encouraged customers to bring and use reusable bags, they will also sell a recycled bag manufactured locally.

The bag retails at R6.49.

“These additional 52 stores based mainly in Gauteng and the Western Cape take us to over 200 single-use plastic bag-free stores in Southern Africa. A significant achievement at a time when we have had so many supply uncertainties,” said Woolworths’ head of foods: technology, food safety and sustainability, Latiefa Behardien.

The retailer said they had replaced plastic packaging, with kraft packaging in popular “ripe and ready” avocados equating to an annual plastic saving of between 35 and 40 tons, the fruit covered with a fully recyclable shrink wrap.

“The recent roll-out of the new avocado packaging to all varieties sees the polystyrene plastic punnet replaced with a kraft box base made from 63% recycled paper,” said Behardien.

Behardien added that they were confident that the new packaging would deliver the functionality they need.

The 50 Woolworths stores to go plastic bag-free from the end of April:

 1. Bassonia Shopping Centre (Jhb)

2. Broadacres Shopping Centre

3. Doringkloof Shopping Centre

4. Edenglen Shopping Centre

5. Eldoraigne Village Shopping Centre

6. Eldo Square Shopping Centre

7. Equestria Shopping Centre

8. Genesis Shopping Centre

9. Grey Owl Village (Midrand)

10. Hans Strijdom (Appletons Village)

11. Harrison Street

12. Hazeldene Shopping Centre

13. Honeydew Village Shopping Centre

14. Horizon View (The Village at Horizon View)

15. Jean Crossing Shopping Mall

16. Lifestyle Crossing Centre

17. Kyalami (Kyalami Corner)

18. Lonehill Shopping Centre

19. Lynnwood Road (Hillcrest Boulevard Shopping Centre)

20. Magalies View (Rustenburg Convenience Shopping Centre)

21. Meyersdal Alberton (Meyersdal Square)

22. Noordheuwel (Krugersdorp)

23. Northwold – Boskruin Village Shopping Centre

24. Norwood Mall (Jhb)

25. Paulshof (Cambridge Crossing)

26. Queenswood Centre

27. Ruimsig (Featherbrook Village – Jhb)

28. Sandridge Square (Midrand)

29. Sinoville

30. VanDerBijl Park (Riverside Boulevard Shopping Centre)

31. Victory Park Shopping Centre

32. Waterfall Corner (Waterfall Shopping Centre)

33. Watermeyer Park Shopping Centre

34. Verdi Shopping Centre (Jhb)

35. Zambezi Junction Shopping Centre

North West:

36. Wilkoppies – Macrovest Centre (Klerksdorp)

Western Cape:

37. Belvedere Road

38. Birkenhead Shopping Centre (Melkbos)

39. Da Luz Mall

40. Edgemead Shopping Centre

41. Flamingo Vlei (Flamingo Square Centre)

42. Fort Road (Sea Point)

43. Gordon’s Bay (Mountain View Shopping Centre)

44. Kromboom Road

45. Milner Road

46. Plattekloof Village Shopping Centre

47. Port Side (Green Point)

48. Village Square (Durbanville)

49. Welgemoed (Welgemoed Forum Shopping centre)

50. West Coast Mall

New stores that have/will open Single-use Plastic Shopping bag free:

– De Korenvlij (Malmesbury) – opened 25 March

– Rustenburg Mall – opening 29 April