In a bid to be greener, Majid Al Futtaim has confirmed that Carrefour will be eliminating single-use plastic bags at the checkout counters of two of its Dubai branches. Starting from Sunday, Carrefour Hypermarket at Cityland Mall and Carrefour Market at Arabian Ranches 1 will not be offering plastic bags to its customers. Instead, shoppers are encouraged to bring their own reusable bags when visiting. They will also be able to purchase recyclable paper bags for 40 fils each. Proceeds from the sale of these paper bags will be donated to the Emirates Nature-World Wildlife Fund to support UAE wildlife. Alternatively, customers will be able to purchase Carrefour’s line of reusable bags; they currently sell three versions, a woven plastic bag for Dh2.50, a canvas foldable bag for Dh9.50 and a heavy duty juco bag for Dh10. The move is part of Majid Al Futtaim’s commitment to eliminate single-use plastic from its Carrefour stores by 2025, says Philippe Peguilhan, country manager of Carrefour UAE at Majid Al Futtaim Retail. “As part of this commitment, we have pledged to remove 500 million plastic grocery bags from circulation each year – an important and necessary step towards a plastic-free future, which requires a shared commitment and support from our customers,” he says. “All of us at Carrefour are determined to uplift our surrounding communities through various initiatives, and we encourage customers to do their part so that we can move together towards a more sustainable future.” Majid Al Futtaim currently operates more than 350 Carrefour stores in 17 countries. While the new initiative has been rolled out in two stores in the UAE for now, the brand is encouraging all UAE customers to opt for reusable bags by offering those with their own bags dedicated checkout counters and bonus Share points every time a reusable bag is used. “We hope to expand our environmental sustainability efforts across more of our stores as we raise awareness around eco-conscious choices and move towards more efficient, and sustainable operations,” says Peguilhan.