We created a long-term solution against the scourge of single-use shopping bags by rewarding each re-use of the same bag.

A barcode printed on the bags is scanned every time customers bring them to check-out. This way customers get a discount of 10 cents with every re-use of the bag. The motivation to do this is based on our customers’ needs: simple and cheap. To bond more with local customers by demonstrating real social responsibility, PENNY donates an additional 10 cents to local social organizations, for each reuse. But above all, we created a simple mechanism to help protect the natural environment.

This way, we managed to stand out from our competitors’ inconsistent solution approach: replacing plastic bags with synthetic, paper or cotton bags. Unfortunately, these alternative bags are often also used only once and because of the various chemicals used in the production process even worse for the environment.

To make the introduction of 600,000 PENNY Give-Bags as striking as possible, we started a conversation with our customers in their everyday lives, directly at the point of sale – all over Germany.

In 2017 from calendar weeks 8 to 12, various leaflets and posters were combined with a TV campaign to announce our innovative PENNY Give-Bag. The reusable shopping bag is made of synthetic material and two recycled PET bottles. The frog printed on the bag is PENNY’s well-known sustainability ambassador “Günter Kastenfrosch”, drawn by Janosch. With this design, PENNY continues its sustainability communication while ensuring a high degree of sympathy.

We integrated sustainability into the lives of thousands of customers. The 600,000 bags produced were completely sold out in only a few weeks. And on average, every bag was reused 3.2 times. With the PENNY Give-Bag we also increased the discounter’s positive media presence, particularly since the bag became a topic for the Green politician Cem Özdemir. Prominent online news services (Spiegel, Focus, Bild etc.) made sustainable commitments to PENNY cover stories.

Over the whole campaign period we gained a digital range of 85,727,135 million (source: Talkwalker): +11% Buzz and + 7% Attention.

Our customers raised €70,000 for a good cause in their neighborhoods and saved an equal amount on their total purchases – in about 26 weeks. And most amazingly: in a very short time, the environment was spared the scourge of over one million disposable bags, and 20,000 fewer disposable bags every week!