Makro Portugal is committed to building a future where reducing plastic use is a given and already offers alternatives. By 2023, it aims to save 300 tons of plastic together with the other METRO countries, and by 2025 it aims to empower its customers with tools to reduce their ecological footprint.
This is a process that has been underway since 2014, the year Makro Portugal began offering alternatives to plastic from renewable, compostable, and biodegradable sources that do not interfere with the food supply chain. Through some of these materials, this year Makro customers were able to count on a complete range of alternative solutions to plastic at competitive prices, such as straws, cutlery, plates, cups, and bags.
"Makro Portugal works towards the 12th Sustainable Development Goal of the United Nations, which aims for Responsible Consumption and Production. Therefore, we are committed to the transition to a circular economy, in which products and materials circulate to eliminate waste.“This is according to Nuno Nogueira Oliveira, Quality Assurance Manager & Sustainability Officer at Makro Portugal.
The wholesaler's next goals include raising awareness among employees and customers to change consumption patterns, optimizing waste management processes and offering collection points in stores to increase collection and recycling rates, working with suppliers to provide customers with a range of sustainable products and solutions, and optimizing the packaging of its own brands to reduce their environmental impact, driven by the 3R principle – "reduce, recycle, renew".
“ The future is prepared in the past and made in the present – this phrase perfectly illustrates the work that MAKRO Portugal has been developing. By participating in the METRO PLASTIC INITIATIVE since 2014, together with 12 METRO countries, we have contributed to the optimization of 11.000 packages in our own brands, reducing material by 400 tons. On this last point in particular, MAKRO Portugal has managed to find alternatives to PVC in 100% of the packaging in its own brands (Makro Chef, Makro Professional, ARO and Rioba), replacing a plastic considered 'problematic' due to the toxic waste resulting from its production and disposal ,” concludes the manager.
The wholesale company's customers can thus take responsibility and actively contribute to the preservation of local ecosystems. Makro is committed to supporting its customers during the transition period away from conventional plastics by providing information on how to use and dispose of alternative materials efficiently.
