Thousands of people are bringing their own containers to supermarkets for meat, fish and salads, but Foodstuffs CEO Chris Quin says it could take time for the movement to become mainstream.
Foodstuffs, which owns New World and Pak'n'Save, announced it would allow customers to bring their own containers in May. Countdown followed suit in June.
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Quin told The AM Show the business got a lot of positive feedback when it announced the change, but uptake has been slow.
"Right now every week we're getting about 10,000 people across the North Island using it and have a go.
"I think it's one of those things, it's like remembering to put your reusable shopping bags back in the boot rather than the front door, then it's washing your container.
"The people who love it really love it and are working hard."
Quin said at the moment there are a lot of really organised users who will bring in multiple clean containers for their food, and then a few who are putting off making the switch to bringing their own.
There's also a few who bring in containers that are too dirty and staff have to refuse to use them.
"Occasionally, but very occasionally. We trust people when they leave the store to look after their food and look after their families, 99.5 percent of people, they care."
Quin's next goal is reducing the amount of packaging on items coming into supermarkets, and he's working on getting rid of plastic straws within the next year.
Newshub.
