As more states, counties and cities ban plastic bags, DS Smith is now offering grocery stores and consumers GreentoteTM, a reusable, moisture-resistant, modular, 100% recyclable container made from corrugated board.
The company’s development of the Greentote alternative arrives as stores and supermarkets respond to the pandemic-driven jump in online fulfillment sales, BOPIS (buy online, pick up in-store) and third-party grocery delivery services. Greentote offers retail grocery chains and their customers what they’re demanding – an environmentally friendly, recyclable, reusable and food contact-safe solution for transporting groceries and merchandise.
“Greentote is about convenience and sustainability,” said Melanie Galloway, Vice President of sales, marketing and innovation for DS Smith North America Packaging. “From staging orders to curbside pickup or delivery, our sustainable, renewable, fiber-based tote is sturdier than paper, keeps perishable and other grocery items organized and safe, and is reusable. Corrugated is the safest medium for transporting goods in our global supply chain, and Greentote takes that confidence one step further by being USDA food-contact safe.”
Eighteen states in the US already have enacted legislation to ban plastic bags, and major retailers including Walmart, CVS Health, Albertsons, Dollar General and Dick’s Sporting Goods have joined ‘The Beyond the Bag Initiative’, a group seeking to reinvent the single-use plastic retail bag. The goal is to identify, test and implement viable design solutions and models that more sustainably serve the purpose of the current retail bag.
Available in two sizes, DS Smith claims that Greentote can hold more than three times the number of groceries than plastic bags and can interlock with each other, ensuring safety and convenience when transporting. Additionally, Greentote is coated with DS Smith’s proprietary Greencoat, which has been used in the wax-coated shipping industry for poultry, produce, and seafood with its sustainable, moisture-resistant capabilities and durability in demanding supply chains.
“Boxes in our Greencoat line are designed and manufactured to survive harsh wholesale environments while being fully recyclable,” Galloway said. “That means that the grocer who’s packing and stacking a Greentote will appreciate the modular functionality and ease of use. Customers and delivery services will love the ability to create a tidy trunk or backseat without worrying about groceries sliding out of bags and being damaged.”
In addition to its reusability, sustainability, and environmental benefits, DS Smith claims that Greentote provides retailers an opportunity to create a revenue stream by allowing vendors and local businesses to advertise on its full-color, long-lasting printable surfaces.
