Wawa announced it is launching its Skip the Bag for Good initiative to make the transition away from single-use plastic bags as easy and meaningful as possible for customers as the state of New Jersey’s ban on single-use plastic bags goes into effect for all retailers.
Starting at 7 a.m. on May 4, the day the bag ban goes into effect, every Wawa store will be giving away 1,000 free reusable bags with a purchase while supplies last. Wawa’s 272 New Jersey stores will distribute a total of almost 272,000 free reusable bags to customers throughout the state.
Moving forward, Wawa will offer New Jersey customers a value-priced, 35 cents reusable bag as an option to use at Wawa and beyond, while encouraging customers to bring in their own reusable bags to use in store or skip using a bag altogether.
“We thank our customers for joining Wawa and the state of New Jersey in our journey to ‘skip the bag for good’ as we work together to keep our community safe, scenic and sustainable,” said Dave Simonetti, senior director of store operations for New Jersey. “Shopping with a reusable bag is a change of habit for many people that can reduce our long-term impact on the environment, and we are excited to do our part to support our community.”
As part of its Skip the Bag for Good initiative, Wawa will work to educate both customers and store associates on the new legislation, as well as the impact single-use plastic bags have on the environment and the benefits of reusable bags. Beyond this mandate, and as part of Wawa’s long-term commitment to protecting the environment, Wawa will continue to take steps to reduce single-use plastic bag consumption in all stores across its six-state operating area.
Wawa, a privately held company, began in 1803 as an iron foundry in New Jersey. Today, Wawa is an all day, every day stop for freshly prepared foods, beverages, coffee, fuel services and surcharge-free ATMs. Wawa stores are located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida and Washington, D.C.