[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jin-young] Hyundai Department Store announced on the 21st that it will completely replace the ‘department store shopping bags,’ which have been synonymous with sophisticated design and luxurious quality, with eco-friendly products. This move is to quickly respond to consumers’ needs who prioritize eco-friendly and value-driven consumption and to lead the retail industry in practicing eco-friendly management. Hyundai Department Store will stop using shopping bags made from premium paper and instead use eco-friendly shopping bags made from 100% recycled paper.
Hyundai Department Store plans to pilot the eco-friendly shopping bags at Pangyo Branch and The Hyundai Seoul, then implement them at all 16 Hyundai Department Store locations nationwide, including the Apgujeong Main Branch, starting in April.
There are a total of four types of eco-friendly shopping bags, and it is expected that all existing shopping bags, which amounted to about 8 million annually, will be replaced with the eco-friendly versions. Since the opening of the Apgujeong Main Branch in 1985, Hyundai Department Store has been providing customers with shopping bags made from high-quality paper known for its color and durability.
The newly introduced eco-friendly shopping bags are made from yellow 100% recycled paper and highlight the eco-friendly image by using green, one of Hyundai Department Store’s signature colors. Notably, no additional processing such as coating or silver foil has been applied to facilitate recycling after use.
Hyundai Department Store will first introduce the eco-friendly shopping bags in department stores and then expand to outlets. Additionally, they are considering switching all packaging paper used in stores to 100% recycled paper by utilizing various recycled papers developed in-house.
It is unusual in the department store industry to use only eco-friendly shopping bags made from recycled paper. Department stores have traditionally paid great attention to design and durability because luxurious designs and colorful shopping bags affect customer satisfaction and serve as an important means to promote the department store’s high-end image externally. Therefore, except for some food courts, white shopping bags made from premium paper have been used.
The eco-friendly shopping bags introduced this time are also the first result of Hyundai Department Store’s eco-friendly campaign ‘PROJECT 100,’ launched in February last year to strengthen eco-friendly management activities. ‘PROJECT 100’ means ‘making eco-friendly products using only 100% recycled materials.’
To develop the eco-friendly shopping bags, Hyundai Department Store collaborated with external experts such as the Seoul National University industry-academic research team, Kangwon National University’s Paper Engineering Department, and Paper Korea for about a year starting in February last year to develop materials and establish eco-friendly production processes. To ensure the durability of the eco-friendly shopping bags, they studied the properties of various waste papers such as newspapers and cardboard for about five months. They also repeatedly conducted various tests to minimize tearing even when carrying heavy items.
Along with this, Hyundai Department Store established the retail industry’s first ‘resource circulation system.’ This system collects and recycles waste generated internally to produce recycled products, maximizing resource savings and reducing carbon emissions. Applying this system, Hyundai Department Store plans to collect about 8,700 tons of waste paper annually generated from headquarters and 16 stores, including packaging boxes and documents, and produce shopping bags from it.
A Hyundai Department Store official said, “This is the first time a retail company has voluntarily introduced a resource circulation system,” adding, “By using waste paper generated in department stores to produce shopping bags for reuse, we expect significant environmental protection effects such as resource savings.”
Hyundai Department Store expects that the introduction of eco-friendly shopping bags will protect about 13,200 trees (approximately 2,000 tons of wood) used annually for making existing shopping bags and reduce about 3,298 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
Along with the introduction of eco-friendly shopping bags, a customer participation campaign will also be launched. Starting in March, all 16 stores will run the ‘365 Recycle Campaign,’ where customers can bring booklets, newspapers, etc., to be made into eco-friendly shopping bags. Participating customers will receive benefits such as H Points.
Kim Hyung-jong, President of Hyundai Department Store, said, “As environmental protection and resource recycling become increasingly important, companies must actively engage in eco-friendly management activities with sincerity and sustainability,” adding, “We will continue various eco-friendly activities and support projects that resonate with and share with local communities, leveraging the unique characteristics of department stores used by diverse customers.”
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