Village Market will ban the use and distribution of plastic bags by tenants one month ahead of the nationwide Government deadline.
The shopping complex has launched a pro-environment campaign, named ‘Jeans in Bags Out’, a 30-day campaign offering shoppers an alternative long-term solution to the plastic bags. The campaign will encourage shoppers to bring in their old jeans and have them redesigned into durable shopping bags for free.
Village Market is working with a group of tailors from Kibera, who will transform the jeans, on-site, into fashionable multi-use bags.
According to UNEP, plastic bags contribute to the eight million tonnes of plastic that leak into the ocean every year.
At current rates, by 2050 there will be more plastics in the oceans than fish, wreaking havoc on the marine ecosystems, wildlife and tourism.
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“Village Market is committed to the environment and its community, we are proud to be the first mall in Kenya to embrace the new policy and set an example for other companies to adopt this important change” said Managing Director Hamed Ehsani.
The activation will be set up in the food court, where shoppers will be able to drop off their jeans and pick up their bags on the same day.
