Plastic Bags No Longer an Option at C&K Market’s that includes Ray’s Food Place (Local Groups Meets to Ban All Plastic Bags)

The company will offer only paper or reusable bags at checkout. As of yesterday C&K Market’s four retail banners, Ray’s Food Place, Shop Smart, C&K Market and Lo Buck$ will no longer offer customers the choice of plastic bags at checkout. This change is in response to the companies renewed commitment to be a leader in their market areas when it comes to responsible, sustainable practices regarding plastic bag waste. (See end for meeting  January 16 regarding banning plastic bags in Bend)

C&K Company stores will now have two (2) options to offer customers: free paper bags or .99 cent reusable bags, both 100 percent reusable and recyclable. Customers can also take advantage of the 5 cent bag refund for bringing in their own bags to use.

“By making this change, we hope to make a positive impact on each local and regional community we serve,” explained Greg Sandeno President and CEO of C&K Market, Inc. “We hope other retailers in our area will join us in this initiative”

What kind of impact can a single customer have? By using reusable bags or even paper bags twice a week for two years customers will replace more than 400 plastic bags. Americans throw away about 100 billion plastic bags annually, says Worldwatch, an environmental research group and it takes more than 1,000 years for a non-recyclable plastic bag to break down in a landfill, according to the group.

Reusable Contest

Each Ray’s Food Place location will participate in a gift card drawing. Customers can win a $25 Ray’s Gift Card simply by using their reusable bags (which includes reusing paper bags). Cashiers will distribute qualifying customers an equal number of raffle tickets to the number of reusable bags used during the transaction. At the end of each week through Valentine’s Day each Ray’s store will draw one $25 gift card winner.

C&K Market, Inc. is a family-owned company based in Brookings, Oregon. The company operates 65 grocery stores and 15 pharmacies under the banners of Ray’s Food Place, Shop Smart, C&K Market, Lo Buck$, Pharmacy Express, Chetco Pharmacy and Tiffany’s Drug. In 2012, the company was 33rd on the “Top 50 Small Chains & Independents” in the country. C&K was recently named the ‘Healthiest Employer in Oregon’ by the Portland Business Journal among companies with over 1,500 employees.

www.ckmarket.com.

MEETING

This Wednesday evening at the Environmental Center in Bend, you will have the opportunity to see a great movie about the love affair we have with plastic. Group supports the importance of exposing this truth to our city with the hope of banning plastic bags in Bend.

It’s free. It’s fun. And it’s important. Check out this great movie trailer:

Bag It Trailer

When: Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Time: 6-8pm

Where: The Environmental Center

16 NW Kansas  Ave. Bend, OR

Please Contact Victoria Fischella with

further questions at (949) 903-1664