LIHU‘E — When Kaua‘i County Councilman Derek Kawakami first recused himself from the discussion of the plastic bag ban bill due to his position with Big Save supermarkets, he acknowledged that the legislation could prove to be an economic boon
LIHU‘E — When Kaua‘i County Councilman Derek Kawakami first recused himself from the discussion of the plastic bag ban bill due to his position with Big Save supermarkets, he acknowledged that the legislation could prove to be an economic boon to his company.
Another local business has been in alignment with the proposed legislation for more than a year. Papaya’s Natural Foods and Cafe instituted its own ban on plastic checkout bags and offers customers a 15 cent discount (per bag, up to six per person) for bringing in their own bags, even if they are plastic ones from competitors’ stores.
Pearl Littlejohn, weeknight shift manager at Papaya’s Kapa‘a location, said the store is “wholeheartedly in support of this bill” and that banning plastic bags has proven to be good both for business and the environment.
“Obviously it’s a cost most businesses have already factored into their overhead. You think of the cost of receipt paper, you think of the cost of cleaning products, and you think of the cost of checkout bags,” Littlejohn said in an interview Tuesday. “I think paper bags do run us slightly more than the plastic bags, but we saw it as a necessary expense.”
She said the switch to paper-only was hard for some to fathom at the time, but the store has converted more customers than it has lost due to the policy.
“It’s just another incentive for people to shop with us,” she said, adding that “business has not suffered at all” because Papaya’s enjoys “a loyal clientele that do appreciate a sustainable business.”
Asked what advice she would give to other establishments who are concerned about how the bill might impact them, Littlejohn said, “I would have them look at the more far-reaching effects of keeping plastic bags in place as a standard protocol for your business.
“I understand that everyone wants to make ends meet and wants their business to succeed, but this will have a more positive effect in the long run than every other option,” she said.
Costco is another business that currently does not provide plastic bags for its customers at checkout.
Attempts to reach Safeway corporate offices in California were unsuccessful by press time. A message left for Foodland executives seeking comment was not returned.
