Zero Waste Shop is a unique shop in Moscow, a first retailer in Russia promoting waste-free shopping and waste-free life. It offers a variety of package free goods, including grains, herbs, nuts, cookies, bread, liquid detergents, reusable products, such as diapers, glass straws and etc. People come with their own reusable containers or cotton shopping bags, or can purchase them in the shop. Opening of the new retail concept in May 2018 generated a lot of interest from media, celebrities and bloggers. During first several months the shop was visited by all the convinced adherents of waste-free lifestyle. Then daily traffic stopped growing. Yet the retailer had an ambition to expand business and spread the philosophy. We had to find a way to promote waste-free life and moreover, stimulate people to make their first steps into reduced-waste shopping, thus preparing grounds for Zero Waste Shop expansion.

We created One Bag is Enough campaign to inspire people in Russia to change their everyday shopping behavior. At retail across Russia, almost every small plastic bag is available ‘for free’ with any purchase. As a result, whilst shopping, everyone takes a separate plastic bag for every type of fruit and vegetable. In just one week, whilst shopping, every Russian uses an average of 36 plastic bags. In a country with a population of over 143 million people, and with almost no official recycling laws or disciplined waste sorting, it’s alarming that each of these bags is simply dumped. And it takes over hundred years for one plastic bag to decay in nature.

An easy first step into waste-free life, One Bag is Enough campaign suggested to mix various types of fruits and vegetables in one bag and by doing so, to reduce plastic waste by thousands of tones.

Up to 80% of Russians are concerned about environmental issues, but they are waiting for solutions to come from the government, manufacturers and retailers. Zero Waste Shop wanted to reach out to those, who are interested in eco-friendly life, but who think that it is too complicated and requires too many extra efforts. People which are most responsive to environment protection initiatives are predominantly women, 20-35 y.o., living in Moscow and big cities. They feel guilty every time they realize that their actions result in environment pollution, yet not ready to change their everyday habits completely.

Instead of trying to convince people to switch to waste-free shopping immediately the retailer has invited everyone to start from first easy step. With no budget for media, it was decided to place posts in social media groups of the retailer, its friends and partners, thus initiating snowball effect to spread into other media.

Entertaining images showed unusual combinations of ‘charactered’ fruits and vegetables expressing their delight of being together, skin to skin. For each poster two well-known antagonist characters were selected, showing that differences should not become a barrier for peaceful coexistence of various fruits and vegetables in one bag.

As soon as our first posts appeared in social media groups, hundreds of influencers, including bloggers and celebrities, distributed reposts and created their own publications. Popular internet resources created online media publications without asking any payment. Two other retail chains have joined the movement and placed posters inside of their shops.

During the period of December 2018 - May 2019 a simple ‘everyday lifehack’ inspired people to take a small step towards a big change in behavior of the nation and immediately went viral at zero cost.

One Bag is Enough campaign helped Zero Waste Shop to create the first ever zero-waste movement across Russia at zero cost. Thousands of people took their first step towards a plastic-free environment.

Results of first 3 weeks of the campaign:

- about 5 400 000 SM impressions

- about 81 500 000 total campaign reach

- 3 585 199 rubles of earned media

- 5000 of new subscribers of brand groups in SM (5 times increase)

63 popular media resources announced the initiative, including Cosmopolitan, National Geographic, Europa Plus, The Moscow Times, RBK, The Village, Afisha Daily, Wonderzine, MUZ-tv, Lenta.ru, The Wall Magazine, etc.

2 retail chains joined the campaign, LavkaLavka and Organic Shop, and placed posters in their stores.

During the campaign the deputies of State Duma (the Parliament of Russia) proposed a ban on free distribution and sale of plastic bags in retail shops.