Edeka, Netto, Müller & Co. circumvent the ban on disposable bags – “Politics must not be allowed to be demonstrated”
Created: 06/21/2022, 17:08
There are such and such plastic bags.
Some are forbidden, others allowed.
A micrometer is decisive.
© Fleig / Eibner / Imago Images
The German environmental aid is angry and calls it a clumsy trick.
Some retailers have found a knack for getting single-use bags out to the general public.
Berlin - Since January 1, 2022, they should actually have disappeared from supermarkets: disposable plastic bags.
Exceptions to the regulation are so-called "t-shirt bags" for packing fruit and vegetables.
But some retailers still give out the environmentally harmful disposable bags for shopping, according to a survey by the German Environmental Aid (DHU) among the 13 largest German drugstores and food retailers.
Edeka, Netto, Müller & Co.: A few micrometers decide whether you want a single-use or reusable plastic bag
In order to circumvent the plastic bag ban, Edeka, Netto Nord, Netto Markendiscount, Norma, Müller drugstores and Rossmann use a transparent trick, writes the German Environmental Aid in a press release.
Since the legal ban only applies to plastic bags with a wall thickness of 15 to a maximum of 49 micrometers, the companies offer bags whose wall thickness is slightly greater.
Plastic bags with 50 or 60 microns fall outside the legal scope.
Although they are environmentally harmful disposable products, the DHU complains and calls on Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke to improve the plastic bag ban.
Edeka, Netto, Müller & Co.: Plastic bags are a service for customers
"Our loop carrier bag has a wall thickness of 55 microns, so this item can be used multiple times and is not affected by the new single-use plastic bag ban that has been in effect since January 1, 2022," says Christina Stylianou, Head of Corporate Communications at Netto Marken-Discount to
Merkur.de
.
We take our responsibility towards customers and the environment very seriously.
Netto Marken-Discount aims to reduce its ecological footprint and is strongly committed to conserving resources and promoting the use of more sustainable materials when it comes to bags and carrier bags.
"Because when selling products, we have to offer our customers transport containers as a service."
DHU expert: “Politics must not be allowed to be demonstrated by retail”
Thomas Fischer, Head of Circular Economy at the DHU, describes advertising statements as particularly bold that describe disposable plastic bags as reusable products despite the expected short useful life.
Retailers would try to talk their non-ecological bags with reusable slogans.
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The Müller drugstore takes the bag issue to the extreme in an absurd way.
At 50 micrometers, the bags are exactly one micrometer – i.e. 0.001 millimeters – thicker than the prohibited wall thickness.
“Politicians must not allow themselves to be fooled by trade.
Environment Minister Lemke must put an end to the dubious activities of retailers and adapt the ban in such a way that single-use plastic bags finally disappear and plastic carrier bags can only be offered in a reusable form.”
Aldi, Kaufland, Lidl, Rewe and Penny show that there is another way
"Like no other product, single-use plastic bags stand for senseless waste of resources and environmental pollution," says DUH Federal Managing Director Barbara Metz.
The fact that companies like Edeka, Norma or Rossmann are now circumventing the ban with a clumsy trick shows how "irresponsible" and "mendacious" they are.
Kaufland, Lidl, Rewe, Penny, Aldi Nord and Süd show that it is also possible to do without disposable plastic bags.
According to Metz, the companies have banned the environmental sin of plastic.
