This is about creating behaviour change on a mass scale. Instead of punishing people for forgetting to bring a bag, let's reward them for bringing them back. By simply adding a simple change to the design, a barcode, we transform the bag into an ongoing discount, an incentive. Creating a regular, habit forming reward that actively changes behaviour.

Currently Tesco has over 30 re-usable bag designs, all useful but mostly ignored. We simply adapted an existing bag. No new set up costs, simply changing the 1 colour print design of their cheapest and most accessible re-usable bag.

Research tells us that for the majority of Malaysians the existing eco motivation to re-use bags is simply not strong enough. A financial incentive is universal - meaning you want to bring back the bag even if you are not eco aware.

Shoppers purchase the UB for 50 cents

Every time they re-use the bag it is scanned and 20 cents is taken off their bill

The bag can be used unlimited times.So users only have to re-use three times to be actually making a profit from their positive behaviour.

If the bag wears out it, will be replaced for free and the old bag is recycled to make new ones.

Made from recycled Low Density Polyethylene, the bags have already been used in another life.

Everybody wins.

Using an existing standard Tesco bag design, we simply altered the single colour print to transform it from a bag into a voucher that actively changes behaviour.

The barcodes are integrated into the form of the animals most at risk from plastics in the ocean, forming an attractive and very distinctive pattern. The design style is simple and cute - to appeal to the widest spectrum of customers from young to old.

The Fish, Turtle and Whale - were extended as campaign characters throughout the store on multiple POS materials - Posters, Aprons, Checkout Banners, scanner wraps.

At launch, an animated film, in our distinctive design style, helped launch the concept worldwide.

Trialled initally in 11 stores, the UB campaign was rapidly adopted nationwide to all 56 stores.

The bag instantly became the Best Selling re-usable bag in all stores.

On average, 5% of Tesco customers re-use their bag.

In the first month 68% of customers re-used their UB - making it 14x more effective in reducing single-use bags.

At current rate - UB will have prevented over 5 million single use bags by year end.

PR Coverage for the launch spread instantly to over 70 countries helping Tesco's sustainability reputation worldwide.

Internally the creative idea has been presented at Global board level - with UK, Thailand and India specifically requesting design and implementation plans.

The Turtle, Fish and Whale characters are now an integral part of the Tesco Malaysia school programme - also used in colouring books and puzzles to educate.

SITUATION

Malaysians use on average 300 plastic bags per year, 9 billion bags in total, the vast majority are single use.

Tesco Malaysia halved the number of single-use plastic bags between 2011 and 2017, but the rate of reduction is not fast enough. Other Tesco's, like the UK, have already banned single-use, but Malaysian education and attitudes lag behind.

BRIEF:

Accelerate the reduction in single use bags and help position Tesco as a leading sustainability champion and help build the path to total ban by 2020.

OBJECTIVE:

Encourage customers to bring back the bags for every time they shop.

Educate customers on the impact of plastic bags

Help to significantly change long-term behaviour to allow for the eventual phasing out of single use bags

BUDGET:

10,000 USD

PROJECT SCALE:

After a successful trial, the bags are now in all 56 stores throughout Malaysia.