Tesco Lotus gets rid of single-use plastic bags. For one day.

Tesco Lotus had netizens talking yesterday after the retail giant released plans to abolish plastic bags for shoppers. Except that it was a mistake.

It will only be for one day.

Khaosod English jumped onto the Tesco media release earlier yesterday with the news that Tesco Lotus were jumping on the no-plastic bandwagon with a major commitment to get rid of the ubiquitous plastic bags at check-outs, only later to publish this retraction…

Tesco Lotus has apologised for misstating its plans in a news release. The company later said it would only join the campaign for one day, not indefinitely as it was originally worded.

On December 4, Tesco Lotus will replace the plastic bags it offers customers with paper at all of its 2,000 stores around Thailand. The store will also encourage customers to bring their own cloth bags.

It’s part of a one-day campaign by several department and convenience store chains on Thailand’s Environment Day in an effort organised by the environmental ministry. Other participating firms include 7-Eleven, Central, Makro, Foodland, Robinson, Big C and Tops.

The hundreds of stories of dying marine life, massive toxic waste dumps and environmental degradation have made plastic bag use a pressing issue this year, with calls for commercial interests to show responsibility.

In the meantime, retailers and malls such as Tops, Robinson, Big C have been urged to offer points and discounts to customers who refuse plastic bags. It was announced in June that all national parks would ban plastic and styrofoam containers, though enforcement appears lacking.

So far the loud trumpeting of support for the reduction of single-use plastics by the nation’s major retailers has resulted in a few photo-opportunities and ‘words’ with little changes to their actual policies.