Are 7-Eleven stores underperforming in Thailand's anti-plastic bag campaign?

The CP Group, which runs 7-Eleven stores in Thailand, is being criticized for its decision to replace plastic bags with paper bags in tourist areas.

They proudly announced that they had donated 134 million baht to hospitals across the country after Thais used nearly a billion fewer plastic bags last year.

They praised the Thais and their "Go Green 7" campaign and said paper bags would be used instead in all tourist areas across the country to add to their concern for the environment.

But the largesse and "environmental drumbeat" comes after the BBC released a video criticizing their choices.

Video Title:

“Why paper bags are worse for the planet than plastic.”

CP said they donated the money to Sirirat Hospital, local hospitals and hospitals in all 77 provinces of Thailand after seeing a reduction in plastic bag use of 998 million bags since December 2018.

They said that cloth bags were available at a reasonable price in their stores and that paper bags would be used in areas with high tourism.

But the BBC video posted online in October challenges the idea that paper is better by explaining that the inventor of plastic bags intended to reuse them again and again, not just throw them away.

She also argues that trees are being cut down for paper bags, among other negative environmental impacts.

Source: TNN Thailand , Thaivisa