Lowe’s Canada cuts plastic bag use by 58% in its corporate store network in 2019 compared to 2017. Credit: Lowe’s Canada.

Home improvement retailer Lowe’s Canada has recorded a 58% reduction in the usage of plastic bags in its corporate store network in 2019 compared to 2017.

The result is due to the introduction of a charge on plastic bags at its Lowe’s, RONA, and Reno-Depot corporate stores. The 58% reduction represents about 10 million bags.

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The retailer introduced the charge in Quebec in June 2018 and extended it to the rest of Canada in August of the same year.

The charge also resulted in the reduction of plastic bag use in mid-year 2018 by over 5 million in Lowe’s Canada’s corporate stores compared to the previous year.

Lowe’s Canada asset protection and sustainable development senior vice-president and public affairs Jean-Sébastien Lamoureux said: “At Lowe’s Canada, we are committed to reducing our environmental footprint, which includes decreasing the amount of waste from our operations going to landfills.

“Two years after implementing these measures, we are proud to report that charging for plastic bags and spreading awareness across our stores has helped change our customers’ shopping habits.”

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Lowe’s Canada made more than $125,000 in profits between June 2018 and December 2019.

The company has donated all proceeds from the plastic-bag charges to the Nature Conservancy of Canada.

In addition to its initiative to reduce plastic bag usage, Lowe’s Canada is planning to introduce a new reusable bag at its stores later this year.

It will donate profits from the sales of this new bag initiative to the Nature Conservancy of Canada.