DS Smith releases alternative to plastic bags suitable for third-party grocery services

DS Smith, a packaging producer based in London with U.S. headquarters in Atlanta, is offering grocery stores and consumers Greentote, a reusable, moisture-resistant and 100-percent-recyclable container made from renewable resources.

DS Smith says it developed the Greentote alternative as many stores and supermarkets “are responding to the pandemic-driven rise” in online fulfillment sales and third-party grocery delivery services. The company says this increase in grocery-related services has led to more plastic bags ending up in consumers’ homes and landfills.

According to a news release from DS Smith, shoppers have indicated in surveys that they would “likely continue online buying if items were delivered with less packaging or used more sustainable material,” and they prefer items delivered in more recyclable packaging. DS Smith says its new Greentote offers retail grocery chains and their customers an environmentally friendly, recyclable, reusable and food contact-safe solution for transporting groceries and other merchandise.

“Greentote is about convenience and sustainability,” says Melanie Galloway, vice president of sales, marketing and innovation for DS Smith North America Packaging. “From staging orders to curbside pickup or delivery, our sustainable, renewable, fiber-based tote is sturdier than paper, keeps perishable and other grocery items organized and safe and is reusable.”

To date, 18 states have enacted legislation to ban plastic bags, and major retailers, including Walmart, CVS Health, Albertsons, Dollar General and Dick’s Sporting Goods, have joined the Beyond the Bag initiative, a group that seeks to reinvent the single-use plastic retail bag. The goal of Beyond the Bag is to identify, test and implement viable design solutions and models that more sustainably serve the purpose of the current retail bag.

Greentote is made of cardboard and comes in two sizes. DS Smith says its Greentote can hold more than three times the number of groceries than plastic bags and can interlock with each other to ensure safety and convenience when transporting groceries. The packaging is also coated with DS Smith’s Greencoat, which provides moisture-resistant capabilities and durability.

“Boxes in our Greencoat line are designed and manufactured to survive harsh wholesale environments while being fully recyclable,” Galloway says. “That means that the grocer who’s packing and stacking a Greentote will appreciate the modular functionality and ease of use. Customers and delivery services will love the ability to create a tidy trunk or backseat without worrying about groceries sliding out of bags and being damaged.”

According to DS Smith, Greentote gives retailers the opportunity to create a revenue stream by allowing vendors and local businesses to advertise on the packaging. Greentote also can be used to print shopper loyalty programs, community events, in-store coupons or other types of communication.