NEED HOLIDAY WRAPPING PAPER? TRY A UKROP'S HOLIDAY THEMED PAPER BAG
Local grocer encourages customers
to “go green” with unique, Earth-friendly wrapping paper;
Effort is part of company’s program to minimize waste and promote
recycling year-round
RICHMOND, Va. – Dec. 12, 2007 – With holiday preparations
in full swing, Ukrop’s Super Markets Inc. is reminding its
customers to consider using its special holiday-themed paper bags
as environmentally friendly gift wrap.
The recyclable paper bags – decorated with a holiday theme – are available as a bagging option at all 29 Ukrop’s locations. This effort is part of a larger program by Ukrop’s to reduce, reuse and recycle in its operations.
“Our 2007 holiday paper bags can easily be used for gift wrap,” said Scott Aronson, vice president of Marketing and Analysis at Ukrop’s. “We intentionally didn’t put any logos on the bags, so our customers can repurpose the bags as gift wrap. It’s one small way that we can help our customers with their holiday preparations while doing something good for the environment.”
About Ukrop’s new reusable, mesh grocery bags
As part of its ongoing focus on the environment, Ukrop’s introduced
a reusable, mesh grocery bag to customers for 99 cents each in mid-September.
The bags, which are made of 100 percent new, non-woven
polypropylene, can hold up to 35 pounds. They are water-repellent
and durable for spot cleaning or machine washings but not drying.
Customers who bring a reusable bag or their own paper bag when purchasing
groceries receive a credit of five cents per paper or reusable bag.
Ukrop’s increased this amount from four cents in
April 2007.
“We’ve sold about 80,000 reusable, mesh grocery bags since September,” Aronson added. “Since then, customers have reused their mesh bags and received a five-cent credit 162,470 times. Also, our customers have reused paper bags and received a five-cent credit 212,688 times since we started the mesh bag program. We hope the numbers will continue to grow as we remind our customers about the value of recycling.”
About recycling at Ukrop’s
- When paper or plastic bags can no longer be used, Ukrop’s encourages the recycling of them in its stores.
- Ukrop’s bales its used cardboard, which adds up to be about 900 bales per month. This means that boxes and other such materials are recycled rather than ending up in a landfill.
- Recently in its cafés, Ukrop’s introduced recycled paper cups which are made from 10 percent post-consumer materials.
- Ukrop’s annually repurposes
four million pounds of fruit and vegetable waste from its kitchen
operations in the production of Ukrop’s Organic Compost,
used by gardeners.
About Ukrop's
Ukrop's Super Markets, Inc., founded and headquartered in Richmond,
Va., with more than 5,600, associates now operates 29 retail food
stores, Joe's Market (a regional specialty market), a central bakery
and kitchen, and a distribution center. Since 1937, the privately
held business remains dedicated to its version of the Golden Rule:
"treating customers, associates, and suppliers as they personally
want to be treated." Each year, Ukrop's gives a minimum of
10 percent of its pre-tax profits back to the community. Ukrop's
was a pioneer in both loyalty marketing and meal solutions when
it launched its Valued Customer® program in 1987 and its chilled
prepared foods in 1989. In 1997, Ukrop's established a unique partnership
to place banks in its retail locations. Today, it co-owns, with
Markel Corporation, 25 First Market Bank branches in Ukrop's locations
and 10 free-standing branches. www.ukrops.com
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Media Contact:
Jonathan Rhudy
For Ukrop's Super Markets, Inc.
804-897-0763
jonathan@rhudy.biz