New World introduces healthy snacks to checkouts near Wellington, to phase out plastic bags nationwide

It's out with the chocolate bars and in with the fruit at a New World supermarket on the Kapiti Coast.

Waikanae New World is trialling fruit and healthy snacks at all their checkouts in a bid to give customers healthy choices as they add a little treat to their trollies while paying for their groceries.

Foodstuffs external relations manager Catherine Reiss says the feedback from customers on the trial has "been entirely positive".

The days of plastic bags for your groceries look to be nearly over.

The trial is proving a hit with shoppers, with one customer posting a photo of the healthy checkout on Facebook writing: "I'm so impressed! Finally logic prevails".

So far the trial is only being held at Waikanae New World.

Phasing out plastic bags

Healthy snacks at checkouts isn't the only initiative New World is taking at the moment with the supermarket chain announcing today that it plans to phase out single-use plastic bags.

"New World is aiming to be single-use plastic bag free by the end of 2018," says Sue Hamilton of Foodstuffs

"This move depends on being able to find the right bag solution to meet our customers' needs and those of the environment."

After launching the campaign BagVote this year which saw customers vote for a levy on the use of plastic bags, New World will now give away reusable bags.

"We're giving away a whopping two million long-life reusable bags to our New World customers this summer," Ms Hamilton says.

A 10c voluntary donation per plastic bag to Sea Cleaners will also be introduced as well.

Countdown is also planning on doing away with single-use plastic bags by the end of 2018. 

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