2021 ESG Report Healthy Planet Reimagining the plastic bag across a total of nine CVS Pharmacy, solutions, as well as where more The average retail plastic bag Target, and Walmart stores in testing and investment is needed. is only used for 12 minutes, but Northern California to help evaluate can last on Earth for 500 to 1,000 and refine winning solutions from Results of the pilot programs years. That is the challenge behind the Beyond the Bag challenge. The included more than 1,300 bags or the Consortium to Reinvent the designs tested various factors of tags being registered and more Retail Bag, a multiyear collaboration feasibility and desirability, including than 2,000 bag reuses over a between major retailers and decomposable materials, dispense- three-month period. Key learnings circular economy experts at Closed and-return systems, and reward or will impact future pilots and scalable Loop Partners to drive innovative incentive programs. The lessons solutions in different markets based new design solutions to serve the learned from the pilots will help on customer motivations, employee function of today’s single-use plastic inform further iterations of the engagement, and the ability to offer retail bag. Leaders across the retail a simple process for both groups. industry are working to identify innovative solutions to replace the single use bag, push for consistency in legislation and improve the recoverability of materials through recycling and other take-back systems. We’ve invested $5 million in the Consortium’s three-year Beyond the Bag Initiative to identify, pilot, and implement new design solutions and models to create an improved customer experience without unintended environmental consequences. In 2021, the coalition launched a series of pilot programs Customer feedback “So nice to see a retailer trying to play their part in encouraging reusable bags instead of laying the burden on the consumer.” “I always forget a reusable bag, and this is so much more convenient!” “Great idea!! I would use this — need them at a lot more stores! Let’s get rid of the plastic bags!!!!” “What an awesome idea — so needed.” 61