Guowei Guanli Case Study: How Brown Bags Paper Helps Chain Supermarkets Achieve Their Plastic Reduction Goals

With the upgrading of the “plastic restriction policy,” chain supermarkets, as major users of plastic shopping bags, are facing urgent pressure to transition toward plastic reduction. How to significantly reduce plastic packaging usage while ensuring a positive customer shopping experience has become a common challenge for the industry. Guangdong Guowei Guanli New Materials Co., Ltd. uses brown bags paper as the core carrier to customize comprehensive plastic reduction solutions for multiple chain supermarkets, covering everything from shopping bags to fresh produce packaging. This not only helps clients meet policy requirements but also achieves breakthroughs in cost control and brand image enhancement.

 

Full-category replacement: Plastic reduction coverage from shopping bags to fresh produce packaging

Plastic usage in chain supermarkets is concentrated in three main scenarios: shopping bags, fresh produce weighing bags, and bulk Food Packaging. Guowei Guanli's brown paper bags achieve full-category replacement through material adaptation and process optimization. In the shopping bag scenario, brown paper bags made from 80g high-strength kraft paper can be reused over five times after fold resistance testing and can carry up to 8 kilograms, fully meeting daily shopping needs. After a regional chain supermarket switched to brown bags paper, plastic shopping bag usage dropped from 1.2 million per month to zero, reducing annual plastic consumption by approximately 3.6 tons.

To address the challenges of reducing plastic use in the fresh produce section, Guowei Guanli developed waterproof brown bags paper with a plant-based waterproof membrane on the inner layer, enabling direct use for fruits, meats, and other moisture-containing products, replacing single-use PE food storage bags. After implementation in a supermarket's fresh produce section, plastic film usage decreased by 65%, and due to the breathable properties of the brown paper bags, produce spoilage rates dropped by 8%. Additionally, for the bulk snack section, windowed packaging paper bags were introduced, allowing customers to take and seal their own portions, replacing traditional plastic sealable bags. Pilot data from a chain supermarket showed a 72% reduction in plastic usage in this area.

 

Cost balance: transitioning from short-term investment to long-term benefits

Chain supermarkets are highly sensitive to packaging costs, making cost control for brown paper bags a key factor in the implementation of the solution. Guowei Guanli has controlled the cost per unit of brown paper bags to 0.2-0.3 yuan through scaled production and structural optimization, which is on par with biodegradable plastic bags. Additionally, the reusable nature of brown paper bags further reduces costs. Calculations by a certain chain supermarket show that while the unit purchase price of brown paper bags is slightly higher, their reuse rate exceeds three times, resulting in an actual cost reduction of 0.05 yuan per use compared to plastic bags, with annual packaging cost savings exceeding 500,000 yuan.

 

In terms of policy compliance, the plastic reduction plan helps the supermarket avoid potential fines. According to the Solid Waste Pollution Prevention and Control Law, excessive use of non-biodegradable plastic packaging may result in fines of 50,000 to 100,000 yuan. A certain supermarket was previously fined 20,000 yuan for exceeding the limit on plastic shopping bags. After adopting Guowei Guanli's brown paper bag solution, the supermarket passed environmental inspections for 12 consecutive months without any violations. Additionally, as a bonus for being certified as a “green mall,” the supermarket received tax incentives from the local government, saving 300,000 yuan in annual taxes.

 

Consumer Acceptance: From Passive Acceptance to Active Choice

The success of the plastic reduction initiative hinges on consumer acceptance. Guowei Guanli's brown paper bags enhance user experience through design optimizations: wider handles reduce hand strain, reinforced bottoms prevent items from falling out, and tear-open tabs on the sides facilitate opening. A customer survey at a certain supermarket showed that the brown paper bags achieved a 92% satisfaction rate, with 65% of consumers indicating they were “willing to pay a small fee for eco-friendly packaging.”

 

To encourage a shift in consumer habits, Guowei Guanli assisted the supermarket in launching a “Paper Bag Recycling Program.” Returned brown bags paper are disinfected and reused, with customers earning points for each return. After implementing the program, a certain chain supermarket achieved a 35% paper bag recycling rate, reducing the purchase of new bags by 40,000 units in a single month, while also boosting customer repurchase rates by 10%.

 

To encourage a shift in consumer habits, Guowei Guanli assisted supermarkets in launching a “paper bag recycling program.” Customers who return brown paper bags can have them disinfected and reused, with each return earning points as a reward. After a certain chain supermarket implemented the program, the paper bag recycling rate reached 35%, reducing the purchase of new bags by 40,000 units in a single month, while also boosting customer repurchase rates by 10%.

 

Data confirms: Dual benefits of plastic reduction and brand value enhancement

Guowei Guanli's solution has delivered significant plastic reduction results for the supermarket chain. After 100 stores of a national supermarket chain adopted brown paper bags, the annual total plastic packaging usage decreased by 28 tons, equivalent to reducing the environmental burden of 1.12 million plastic bags, with carbon emissions reduced by approximately 85 tons. This data helped the supermarket achieve an “excellent ESG performance” rating in the capital market, boosting investor confidence.

 

At the brand level, the plastic reduction initiative has become a competitive advantage. A supermarket displayed a data board at a prominent location in its stores stating, “Using brown bags paper, annual plastic reduction of XX tons,” reinforcing its “eco-friendly supermarket” image, resulting in a 12% increase in customer visit frequency. As the supermarket's operations director stated, “Guowei Guanli's brown paper bags not only address policy compliance issues but also make environmental protection a new highlight for attracting customers.”

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From policy compliance to cost optimization, from consumer recognition to brand value enhancement, Guowei Guanli's brown paper bag solution provides a replicable model for chain supermarkets' plastic reduction transformation. By integrating sustainable packaging concepts into the entire supermarket operations process, products such as paper bags and packaging paper bags become strong supports for plastic reduction goals, ultimately achieving a win-win outcome of environmental benefits and commercial value. For chain supermarkets, choosing Guowei Guanli's brown paper bag solution is not only an inevitable response to policy requirements but also a strategic decision to enhance core competitiveness.