- by Anne Finlay-Stewart, Editor

A group of women went grocery shopping in Owen Sound today, but they left a lot of what they purchased at the store.

The women are members of ASUP (Against Single Use Plastic), an informal local group who decided to let their favourite grocery stores know how they feel about the amount of plastic packaging in the produce section.

First stop – Zehrs – where Manager Cynthia Dawson was more than willing to accommodate the shoppers' request for a carton to collect the plastic clamshells, film plastic and bags that covered their fruit and vegetables. The women brought reusable containers and bags to take home their produce.

The ASUP group also brought a letter to the Manager, signed by a dozen or more members, requesting that she pass on their concerns to the Loblaws corporate management.

“When we shop at Zehrs, it is the product that we want, not all the packaging that comes with it! Today we are returning this packaging to you with the hope that it will spur you to pass our message on to your company and your suppliers. As a major retailer and re-seller of their products, you will have much more power than we will as individuals.”

Dawson said the Owen Sound store has its own system for separating waste for recycling but agreed that needed changes will require everyone working together – customers, retailers, and corporations. “Very soon there will be mesh bags in our produce department and no plastic bags at the checkout,” said Dawson, “Only paper.”

Dawson is headed to a Loblaws corporate meeting in Halifax next week where she hopes to learn more about the company's future strategies for reducing single-use plastic.

She said she would take ASUP's letter and pictures of today's event and ask “What's the plan?”