Canadian retailer Shoppers Drug Mart announces it will begin to transition away from single-use plastic shopping bags across all stores starting Jan. 31; retailer will encourage customers to bring their own bags when shopping

January 30, 2023 (press release) –

Customers will have a variety of reusable alternatives available at checkout lanes

January 30, 2023 (Toronto, ON) – Shoppers Drug Mart announced today that it will begin to transition away from single-use plastic shopping bags across all stores starting January 31, encouraging customers to bring their own bags when shopping. Today’s announcement is another way the company is fulfilling its purpose to help Canadian’s Live Life Well, by reducing its reliance on single-use plastic and overall environmental footprint.

“Our commitment to fight climate change by reducing our carbon footprint is an important part of our company’s purpose,” said Pat Dean, Senior Vice President, Front Store & Category Management, Shoppers Drug Mart. “Cleaner communities make for healthier communities, and we’re pleased to do our part to reduce the amount of single-use plastic entering our natural environment.”

While customers are encouraged to bring their own bags to the stores, there will also be a variety of reusable alternatives available at checkout lanes.

Shoppers Drug Mart has a number of environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals, as part of the Loblaw Companies (Loblaw) family. Notably, the company has committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 for Scope 1 and 2, and net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 for Scope 3; reducing plastic waste by making all of its control brand and in-store packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025; and, sending zero food waste to landfill by 2030. The full scope of the company’s ESG commitments can be found in its 2021 ESG Report.

About Shoppers Drug Mart Inc.      

Shoppers Drug Mart Inc. is one of the most recognized and trusted names in Canadian retailing. The company is the licensor of full-service retail drug stores operating under the name Shoppers Drug Mart^® (Pharmaprix^® in Québec). With almost 1,350 Shoppers Drug Mart^® and Pharmaprix^® stores operating in prime locations in each province and two territories, the company is one of the most convenient retailers in Canada. The company also licenses or owns 47 medical clinic pharmacies operating under the name Shoppers Simply Pharmacy^® (Pharmaprix Simplement Santé^® in Québec). As well, the company owns and operates 43 corporate Wellwise by Shoppers Drug Mart^TM stores and an ecommerce site Wellwise.ca, making it the largest Canadian retailer of home health care products and services.

In addition to its retail store network, the company owns the Medical Cannabis by Shoppers^TM online platform for the sale of medical cannabis, Shoppers Drug Mart Specialty Health Network Inc., a provider of specialty drug distribution, pharmacy and comprehensive patient support services,  MediSystem Inc., a provider of pharmaceutical products and services to long-term care facilities and Lifemark Health Group, Canada’s leading provider of outpatient physiotherapy, massage therapy, occupational therapy, chiropractic, mental health, and other ancillary rehabilitation services. Shoppers Drug Mart is an independent operating division of Loblaw Companies Limited.

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