Dubai Ban Bags:- Emirati environmentalist Habiba Al Marashi tells UAE Breaking News societal buy-in is pivotal
A leading Emirati environmentalist has underscored the urgent need for a shift in consumer behaviour in response to Dubai’s phased ban on single-use packaging products, with a ban on all single-use bags coming into effect from today, June 1.
Dubai has banned stores from offering single-use plastic bags to customers for a fee of 25 fils. Starting June 1, the country will ban all single-use bags. This is part of a strategy to phase out a range of disposable products by 2026.
According to Dubai Municipality, the charge for single-use plastic bags will be in place until May 31. The ban affects all disposable bags with a thickness of 57 microns or less, regardless of the material used.
Violating the ban will attract a fine of 200 dirhams. If you violate the ban again within a year, the fine will double to a maximum of 2,000 dirhams.
Retailers that UAE Breaking News spoke to ahead of the ban explained how they are preparing for a major shift towards reusable bags, eliminating single-use plastic bags and other disposable bags.
Offering alternatives
Dr. Suhail Al Bastaki, director of corporate communications at Union Co-op, which operates 27 stores in Dubai, said: “Union Co-op fully supports the Dubai Emirate Executive Council’s policy to ban all single-use bags from 1 June 2024.
From this date, all our retail stores will comply with the new regulations by offering a range of environmentally sustainable alternatives, such as reusable cloth bags and other eco-friendly options. “Creating a cleaner and greener environment for Dubai will, as always, be about leading by example. “
“We are committed to supporting this effort and encourage our customers to embrace these changes towards a more sustainable future. We are already offering eco-friendly alternatives to consumers in our stores.
It is also worth noting that Union Co-op is one of the first companies to implement ‘restrictions’ on the sale of single-use plastic bags from July 2022, in line with the Dubai Executive Council’s move to impose duties on single-use plastic bags,” Al Bastaki added.
Spinneys’ head of marketing, Warwick Gard, said Spinneys had already removed single-use plastic bags from its stores in mid-2022, two years before the ban. “We are the first retailer in the UAE to introduce bags made from 100% recycled material. These bags are reusable and recyclable and cost Dh1. We will continue to offer these bags to our customers.”
In addition, the company, which operates 56 stores in the UAE, including 39 in Dubai, is rewarding customers who bring their own reusable bags by taking 25fils off their purchase invoices, he said.
Reusable Paper Bags
Kamal Vachani, partner and director of Al Maya He Group, which has 47 branches, 30 of which are in Dubai, said: “We need to protect the environment.” We thank the UAE authorities for this great initiative. In line with the government’s efforts towards sustainability and protecting the environment, we will be switching from single-use plastic bags to multi-use paper bags. These bags are available in two sizes – large and small.”
He said these bags will be charged minimally. “The customers will have the choice to bring their own bags which is the path towards sustainability. If the customers prefer to pay, then he/she will be purchasing the bags for usage,” he added.
He said these bags will be charged minimally. “The customers will have the choice to bring their own bags which is the path towards sustainability. If the customers prefer to pay, then he/she will be purchasing the bags for usage,” he added.
Reusable plastic bags
Lulu Group, which runs 110 outlets in the UAE including over 60 in Dubai, said the group’s outlets have already switched to reusable plastic bags permitted for use by the municipality.
“Our shopping bags are already micron-strength and reusable as per local guidelines. We have been offering this type of reusable bag to our customers for a year now at a charge of 25 fill. We have made a complete switch from disposable polythene bags to these bags. We are now encouraging our customers to reuse these and other reusable bags for their shopping,” said Nandakumar V, marketing and communications director, Lulu Group International.
The group said it has also introduced several types of reusable bags made from fabric, jute and recycled products. “These are available in stores starting from Dh25 fils to Dh7.”
Lulu is also running several campaigns in stores and on social media to educate customers on the importance of switching to reusable bags. Nandakumar added, “We will soon launch another campaign to encourage customers to buy reusable bags with additional loyalty points.”
Smaller supermarkets
Some smaller supermarkets are also switching to reusable plastic bags that are more than 57 microns thick. Subair ACK, who oversees four branches of Shurr Al Madina Supermarket, said each branch has placed bulk orders to switch completely to these thicker bags.
“We have just started using these bags. We are also considering importing reusable cloth bags from India. Apart from the environmental benefits, there are other reasons why we are happy to phase out single-use plastic bags. Some of our customers were upset that we started charging them extra for these bags. Now, we won’t have to charge them anything and they will start reusing new bags.”
He said the 25 fils tariff will help reduce consumption of single-use plastic bags. “Some of our customers have started bringing reusable bags while many have reduced the number of bags they use. Earlier, some customers would bring extra plastic bags to use as trash bags at home. After the introduction of the 25 fils fee, they stopped this habit and also spent less on buying disposable plastic bags.”
Packaging Sector Preparations
Abdul Jebbar PB, Group Managing Director, Hotpack Global, spoke about how the packaging industry is preparing for the ban and said that now is a critical time for companies like his to show their readiness and adaptability.
“We are proud to report that around 97 percent of Hotpack’s products are already sustainable, meaning they are reusable, recyclable, biodegradable or compostable or a combination of these. Our research and development team is continuously working to identify new products and truly eco-friendly technologies to further minimize our environmental footprint and demonstrate our proactive approach to sustainability.”