'Paper Or Plastic?' Is Coming To An End At Pick 'n Save Stores

You’ll no longer hear “paper or plastic” at your local grocery store. Kroger, which owns grocery stores such as Pick 'n Save and Metro Market in the greater Milwaukee area and Southeastern Wisconsin, announced Thursday it is phasing out single-use plastic bags that more often than not end up in the trash, rather than the recycling bin.

The Kroger Co. said it plans to completely phase out the bags and switch to reusable ones at all of its 2,800 stores. The phase-out is expected to be complete by 2025.

Kroger Chairman and CEO Rodney McMullen said the decision to phase out use-once, throw-it-away plastic bags is part of its “Zero Hunger | Zero Waste” commitment. “It’s a bold move that will better protect our planet for future generations,” he said in a news release.

Kroger said some estimates suggest 100 billion single-use plastic bags are thrown into the trash.

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