Dubai stores to charge for plastic: 100% businesses back ban on single-use bags

All businesses in Dubai are up for limiting the use of single-use plastic bags, a survey has revealed.

The survey conducted by the Executive Council of Dubai suggested that 100 per cent of businesses would support the introduction of a total ban or imposition of a charge on its use.

According to the survey, about 85 per cent of the Emirate's residents said they would support the move.

Additionally, about half of the respondents said they segregated waste at home.

This came as the Executive Council approved a policy to limit the use of single-use bags.

Starting July 1, 2022, single-use bags will cost 25 fils at stores across the Emirate. The tariff applies to restaurants, pharmacies and e-commerce deliveries.

A total ban on single-use bags will be implemented in two years.

Businesses and entities in Dubai have taken multiple steps to eliminate single-use plastic in the past few years.

In 2019, Dubai Airports said it would eliminate plastic cutlery, drinking straws, takeaway food packaging and polythene bags.

In a statement to Khaleej Times, V. Nandakumar, Director - Marketing & Communications, Lulu Group, highlighted how they have been "aggressively promoting" reusable shopping bags for the last two years. "We are fully aligned with the vision of moving away from single-use plastic bags throughout our … stores."

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The group aims to achieve zero single-use plastic bags by 2023. "We also intend to roll out a new marcom campaign to increase customer awareness in this regard," Nandakumar added.

Majid Al Futtaim group has pledged to remove single-use plastic from its malls, hotels, Vox cinemas and Carrefour stores by 2025. As part of the pledge, Carrefour stores would be taking 500 million plastic grocery bags out of circulation each year. The group had in 2017 started promoting reusable grocery bags across its markets.

Kamal Vachani, group director and partner at Al Maya Group, said the 25-fil levy would "enhance environmental sustainability".

"We are ready to support Dubai in all its efforts to save the environment," he said.

Bernardo Perloiro, chief operating officer of GCC at Majid Al Futtaim Retail, said: "Carrefour was the first UAE retailer to offer recyclable carrier bags in 2007 and we have since pledged to reduce the circulation of single-use plastic by 500 million bags each year.

"Reusable bags will become the cost-effective solution for customers, and luckily we come prepared. Carrefour offers a variety of reusable bags which has a lifetime warranty starting from Dh2.5. One reusable bag equals three to five plastic bags and can fit much more items."

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