Bunnings the leading retailer of home improvement and outdoor living products in Australia and New Zealand is to be commended for listening to public views and responding.
Bowing to public pressure, Bunnings issued a directive to all of its stores that from January 1st 2018 that it will no longer hand out balloons and will no longer engage balloon artists for weekend events.
The balloon stand at Bunnings warehouses across Australia and New Zealand may have been a hit with children visiting the family favourite hardware stores for years, but for educated consumers these balloon handouts were a shockingly obvious menace for the environment and have let Bunnings know they are not ok with that.
Bunnings New Zealand general manager Toby Lawrance says the company made the move following feedback from customers and staff regarding balloons’ potential impact on wildlife and marine animals. “Whilst balloons are given away with the best of intentions and we have made efforts to minimise their potential impact (such as securing them to sticks and limiting outdoor use), unfortunately we are unable to manage their disposal once they have left our stores,” he says.
Bunnings operates a network of large warehouse stores, smaller format stores, trade centres and frame and truss sites, and caters for consumer and commercial customers. As at 30 June 2018 there were 259 warehouses and 78 smaller format stores Australia and New Zealand that would have been handing out balloons – but not anymore and we think thats a HUGE WIN FOR THE ENVIRONMENT!
Well done Bunnings and thanks to everyone who signed our petition “Bunnings Please Drop The Balloons”
Thank Bunnings here and urge them to consider ways to reduce their plastic product lines and packaging too: https://www.bunnings.com.au/contact-us
Always be polite😊
Ref: https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/parenting/big-kids/105253494/Are-balloons-the-new-plastic-straw
* The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the original authors unless otherwise referenced.
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