DS Smith Introduces Greentote, the First 100% Recyclable Alternative to Plastic Bags for Grocery Pickup or Delivery

As more states, counties and cities ban plastic bags, DS Smith, the leading supplier of sustainable packaging solutions, now is offering grocery stores and consumers Greentote, the first reusable, moisture-resistant, modular, 100% recyclable container made from renewable resources.

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DS Smith introduces Greentote, the first modular, moisture-resistant, food-contact safe and 100% recyclable alternative to plastic shopping bags for retail grocery pickup or delivery. (Photo: DS Smith)

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. That potentially has translated into more plastic bags ending up in their customers’ homes and eventually landfills, or worse - waterways.

Recent surveys have indicated that many shoppers say they’d likely continue online buying if items were delivered with less packaging or used more sustainable material. They’d also prefer items delivered in more recyclable packaging. 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,” she said.

Eighteen states 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: identify, test and implement viable design solutions and models that more sustainably serve the purpose of the current retail bag.

Made of cardboard and available in two sizes, 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 revolutionized 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, 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.

Greentote can also be used to print shopper loyalty programs, community events, in-store coupons or other types of communication.

DS Smith’s purpose is to “Redefine Packaging for a Changing World,” and as part of its recently launched “Now and Next Sustainability Strategy” and commitment to the circular economy, the company by 2030 will use packaging and recycling to replace problem plastics, reduce customer carbon and eliminate consumer packaging waste.

About DS Smith

DS Smith is a leading provider of corrugated packaging worldwide, supported by recycling and papermaking operations. A member of the FTSE 100, DS Smith focuses on creating innovative and sustainable packaging solutions, using a closed-loop recycling model – in which paper and corrugated is collected, recycled and then used again to make packaging materials.

North American operations are headquartered in Atlanta, with 15 manufacturing, paper and recycling facilities, totaling more than 2,000 employees. Using the combined expertise of its divisions – including Packaging, Recycling, Paper – DS Smith works with customers to develop solutions that reduce complexity and deliver results throughout the supply chain.

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