Hamburg/Copenhagen, 16 September 2019. As of 2 September, single-use plastic bags at the TAX FREE Heinemann shops at Copenhagen Airport are only available for a fee of 2 or 3 DKK (approx. 26 or approx. 39 euro cents), respectively. 100 percent of the proceeds are donated to the international marine conservation organisation OceanCare, which invests the contribution in the rescue of marine animals and environmental education, among other things.
Reduction of plastic bags by strengthening customers’ awareness
"Our goal is to massively reduce the consumption of plastic bags. In our shops we have the opportunity to draw the attention of customers from all over the world to the issue of plastic pollution and to strengthen their awareness for the problem. In the best case, our customers are happy to refrain from using a disposable bag or to opt for a reusable bag with this knowledge. However, we know that customers in our TAX FREE shops enjoy making spontaneous purchases and need additional options for carrying them. Through our cooperation with OceanCare, it will nevertheless be possible for our customers to make a contribution to global nature conservation," says Esben Keller, Managing Director Heinemann Retail Denmark.
At Copenhagen Airport the new initiative is very welcome
“Here in Copenhagen Airport we are very happy that our long-term partner is taking the initiative to something this tangible. We hope to see more like this in the future from all our partners and will do what we can to help them succeed with their ideas to make a difference for the environment,” says Chief Commercial Officer in Copenhagen Airport, Peter Krogsgaard.
Heinemann customers are happy to give up using plastic bags
The common goals of the cooperation between OceanCare and Gebr. Heinemann, which has existed in Germany and Austria since 2017, are to promote the conscious use of resources and the reduction of plastic bag consumption in airport shops. The project is already a success for marine conservation: After the successful pilot phase in the 14 Heinemann airport shops in Germany and Austria, the cooperation is continuously being extended to other locations; in January 2018, it was launched in Bratislava and Ljubljana, followed by Budapest and Copenhagen in 2019. Passengers have been very accommodating of the change seen in the Heinemann Duty Free shops and are happy to give up using single use disposable bags. In the first year of the cooperation alone, the number of plastic bags issued at the participating sites was reduced by a total of around 70 percent. From the beginning of the cooperation with OceanCare in 2017 until the end of the first quarter of 2019, a total donation of around 300,000 euros was raised for the marine conservation organisation.
“The decision of TAX FREE Heinemann shops at Copenhagen Airport is another milestone in joint efforts reducing single used plastic waste. We applaud Gebr. Heinemann for their clear and measurable contribution to reach SDG 14.1 to prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds by 2025. A goal which can only be reached if all stakeholders are making a joint effort,” says Sigrid Lüber, Founder and President of OceanCare. “ We hope this decision encourages other private sector companies to follow this example”.
For many years, OceanCare has been supporting, for example, the British Divers for Marine Life Rescue, a world leading stranding network for seals, dolphins and whales. OceanCare also raises public awareness around the globe about rethinking how we deal with single use plastic items. Actions taken by OceanCare include the joint project initiated with the Majorcan organisation Save the Med Foundation, to develop a three-day education model in Majorca's state schools. As well as the theoretical principles regarding the problem of plastic pollution, students of the programme also get involved in cleaning up beaches.
Press contact:
Julia Knors
Corporate Communications
+49 40 3010 2186
