For even greater customer convenience and environmental protection: Rohlik Group launches Reusable Bags with 80% lower environmental impact

PRAGUE, Czech Republic, September 22, 2021 –Rohlik Group ("Rohlik"), one of Europe's largest online grocery delivery services, is adapting to the changing sentiment around plastics and paper. Consumers are increasingly rejecting single-use plastics or paper and demanding that companies adopt alternatives. Because Rohlik cares about the environment, it is the first online retailer to deliver your purchases in reusable bags at no extra cost. The scheme is a ‘closed-loop recycling system’, whereby customers can return bags. The next purchase will be automatically delivered in reusable bags again. The program is currently active in Germany and Austria, it begins today in the Czech Republic and Hungary will soon follow. Two great advantages of reusable bags are immediately obvious: Rohlik customers no longer have to throw away empty paper bags or return them to the company's couriers, and our environment can breathe a sigh of relief.

"As the most innovative online supermarket in Europe, it is important for us to always be one step ahead and to promote new concepts. With our reusable bags, we again combine the best customer service with environmental protection," states Jakub Petřina, Group Chief Marketing Officer at Rohlik Group, about the introduction of the new reusable bags.

Customer-first: Rohlik Group listens and implements

The starting point for the introduction of reusable bags was the fact that delivering products in paper bags was already a good first step in terms of ecological thinking, but there was still potential for even greater sustainability. Rohlik has always placed great emphasis on listening to its customers and wanting to meet their wishes and expectations. In this context, the company repeatedly received feedback to develop alternatives for paper bag delivery in order to reduce household waste. 

80% lower environmental impact

A reusable plastic bag made of recycled plastic has lower environmental impact than a disposable paper bag or reusable cotton bag. This is confirmed by a study by The University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, the largest university specializing in chemical sciences in the Czech Republic, as well as other academic and research institutions in general. In the study, the life cycle assessment method (LCA, ČSN ISO 14040) was used to evaluate the environmental impacts of the life cycle of carrier bags considered for use in Rohlik.cz. The reusable  plastic  bag  made  from  98%  recycled  plastic  causes  only 21%  of  the overall  environmental impact of paper bags. They also have a 10% higher load capacity, i.e. 11 kg.

Reusable plastic bags can be used on average at least 25 times more often compared to a paper bag

“Rohlik cares about the environment and as the first retailer we offer a truly functional reusable bag solution, lowering the environmental impact on our planet. For Rohlik Group, the use of reusable bags is an optimal solution and something our customers have wanted. While paper bags usually get dirty or break after a short time, reusable bags are much more durable. Their durability was tested during their development. One reusable bag can be used up to 25x until it goes to recycling vs. only once for paper bags,” comments Jakub Petřina.

Selection of reusable bags

Customers can now choose how their groceries are packaged for purchase. If the customer chooses to have their purchase delivered in reusable bags, they will pay a one-time fee for the service. From then on, customers can use the recycling system for an unlimited period of time. One-off service fees for individual markets are:

● AT – 10 EUR

● CZ – 250 CZK

● DE – 10 EUR

● HU – 3500 HUF

If the customer decides to use paper bags again, the service fee will be fully refunded.

Returning reusable bags

If a customer chooses delivery with reusable bags, they can see how many reusable bags they have received so far in their customer account. To make the reuse cycle a success, the company is happy to take back empty bags. To ensure the highest level of hygiene, all bags are cleaned after each use so that they always meet food contact hygiene standards. Rohlik has received all the appropriate certification (applicable across the whole EU) confirming the bags are fully in line with legally required standards for long-term and repeated contact with food.

The customer returns the bags as are (no washing) to the courier when taking the next purchase. The courier then brings them to the warehouse and they are taken to the laundry. Rohlik then checks the bags returned by the laundry and replaces them as required.

The Rohlik Mission

According to 360 Research Reports, global reusable shopping bag market size is projected to reach USD 10.82 billion by 2026, from USD 7.37 billion in 2020, at a CAGR of 6.6% during the period 2020-2026.

This measure is only one of many that form Rohlik’s mission to become the most sustainable and environmentally friendly online grocery delivery service in Europe. Other activities include ‘eco slots‘, which indicate that the courier will be in your location or the use of CNG vehicles and cargo bikes. By using reusable bags for deliveries, customers can play a personal role in supporting more efficient and environmentally friendly deliveries. Rohlik Group also has a ‘Save the Food‘ program, discounting products prior to their best by and use by dates, resulting in four times less food waste than regular supermarket chains. 

About Rohlik Group

Founded in 2014 in the Czech Republic, Rohlik Group is one of Europe's leading online grocery delivery services. Already active in the Czech Republic (Rohlik.cz), Hungary (Kifli.hu), Austria (Gurkerl.at) and Germany (Knuspr.de) with other large cities in Germany to follow quickly. Deploying world-leading technology & logistics to deliver a huge range of quality products (17 000 SKUs+), Rohlik companies offer a 15-minute delivery window with delivery as soon as within two hours of placing an order. The Rohlik family is a data-driven company in everything they do. By owning its end-to-end operations, including having all technology in-house, Rohlik provides a superior customer experience and the freshest food from local farmers and artisans, as well as a broad supermarket selection. The company was funded with EUR 290 mil. this year and is profitable, dynamic and growing rapidly. Rohlik turnover exceeded €300 million in 2020. 

For more information visit www.rohlik.group

For press enquiries, contact Eliška Čeřovská at eliska.cerovska@rohlik.cz