The region’s leading retailer Lulu Hypermarket, D-Ring Road branch hosted the awareness campaign organized by the Doha Municipality on Sunday to mark the ‘International Plastic Bag-free Day Campaign’.
The event was held within the initiatives of Doha Municipality under the Ministry of Municipality to educate people about the rules of using plastic bags. Recently the Ministry of Municipality has issued a decision to ban single-use plastic bags in Qatar from 15 November 2022 onwards wherein it announces the controls being enforced for the use of plastic bags. The regulations on the use of plastic bags, which were approved by the Honorable Council of Ministers, prohibit institutions, companies, and shopping centres from using single-use plastic bags.
The ministry encourages the use of environmentally friendly alternatives such as multi-use plastic bags, biodegradable bags, bags made of paper or woven cloth and other biodegradable materials with a view to achieve strategic objectives of Qatar in conserving the environment and optimal investment in waste recycling.
The event was attended by senior officials from the Ministry including Mr. Ali Al-Qahtani, Head of Inspection Unit in Food Control Section, Dr. Asmaa Abu-Baker and Dr. Heba Abdul-Hakim from the Food Control Section. Many other dignitaries including Dr. Mohamed Althaf, Director of Lulu Group International were also attended the campaign.
Speaking at the event, Ali Al-Qahtani, Head of the Health Inspection and Monitoring Unit at Doha Municipality said that the event was held following the decision of Doha Municipality to hold activities at shopping malls for two days – Sunday and Monday to educate people about uses of plastic bags according to the Ministerial Decision No. 143 of 2022.
He said that the decision bans single-used plastic bags at all food outlets replacing with eco-friendly alternatives printed with fork and cup starting from November 15, 2022.
“Initially, in this week, the awareness activities are being held at two commercial outlets - Lulu Hypermarket and Carrefour,” said Al Qahtani.
Aligned with the campaign, Lulu Group has distributed Free Reusable bags to the people and set up a booth where eco-friendly products were displayed. The store was decorated with the cutout of a Tree bearing Reusable bags on its branches. They have also organized a Quiz Programme for the kids with attractive gifts, with a view to inculcate awareness on the risk that plastic cause to the environment and to the posterity. The efforts taken by Lulu Hypermarket and the Ministry of Municipality to impart awareness among the public were very well accepted and greatly appreciated by the public.
Various sustainability initiatives have been brought into practice by Lulu Group since last two decades. As a leading retailer in the region, Lulu Group is deeply committed to exercise sustainable best practices to reduce the environmental concerns by taking real and demonstrable measures to protect the environment and contribute to reducing carbon emissions and food waste aligned with the Qatar National Vision 2030.
The recipient of the Sustainability Award 2019 at the Qatar Sustainability Summit, LuLu Group has highlighted its efforts to promote environment-friendly practices in its operations and 18 stores in Qatar, and in the community at large. As part of its ongoing efforts to reduce energy, water, waste and to incorporate sustainable practices, Lulu Group has achieved sustainable operations certification for various outlets in Qatar.
They have introduced the Reusable Bags and promoted in all the outlets encouraging customers to reuse their shopping bags there by reducing the fresh plastic in the system. Reverse Vending Machines have been procured and implemented in multiple outlets to encourage and educate customers on segregation and recycling of plastic bottles and cans.
Various other measures to reduce the amount of plastic in packaging were introduced including the introduction of Refilling Stations, Kraft paper bags and biodegradable packaging made with sugarcane pulp, used for packing inhouse kitchen products. With a view to eliminate the waste in its operations, they have implemented various innovative methods such as controlled production and controlled ordering of raw materials etc. Besides, sustainable suppliers and products are given priority in their operations.
Food waste digesters are also being used to efficiently manage the food waste generated in the operation. An innovative food waste solution named ORCA which recycles food waste by breaking it down into water (mainly), and some carbs, fats and proteins which are then captured or repurposed. This is currently being trialed at Lulu’s Bin Mahmoud store. Outlets are being encouraged to segregate the operational waste for easy disposal and collection. Three compartment bins are implemented in all general areas to encourage customers in waste segregation.
Lulu Hypermarket in Qatar has become one of the first retailers in MENA to achieve sustainable operations certification under the Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) from the Gulf Organisation for Research & Development (GORD). They have installed Building Management System for building to efficiently manage the assets associated with the building ventilation and lighting. Also, they have installed Cloud Energy Optimization System-Honey well forge to efficiently manage and optimize the energy used during the operations.
Use of LED are being encouraged for their upcoming projects and existing projects being gradually shifted to LED from conventional lights. Light control systems assisted with motion sensors are being considered to optimize the use of energy especially in the warehouse operations. They have also introduced the energy efficient chillers in its operations, that optimize the use of energy and increasing the cooling efficiency.
Recycling of paper waste and oil waste are also being done and encouraged throughout with the help of recycling partners that efficiently divert these materials from landfill and recycle them back into the system.
Lulu Hypermarket always follows an all-inclusive approach in promoting ‘Made in Qatar’ products, as a responsible retailer. Lulu provides dedicated retail space and point-of-sale terminals for locally manufactured food products. The company has started sourcing its private label products locally, ensuring uninterrupted supplies and stock availability. Lulu engages closely with local farmers through a variety of support schemes and promotional initiatives to enhance supply and demand.
The group is known as a trend setter in the introduction of sustainable best practices in the retail industry in the region. LuLu’s operations cover business divisions in retail segment for the popular hypermarket brand, shopping mall destinations, food processing plants, wholesale distribution, hospitality properties, and real estate development.
