Stop & Shop Makes It Easy to be Green

QUINCY, Mass., April 15 /PRNewswire/ -- April 22 marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, and to commemorate, Stop & Shop is taking the term "going green" to new heights with its company-wide green initiatives. By incorporating green product on shelves, energy efficient lighting in stores and encouraging customers to use reusable bags, Stop & Shop makes it easy for customers to celebrate Earth Day every day. This month, to sweeten the deal, Stop & Shop will give away two Honda Insight Hybrids.  

Beginning April 16 to April 29, Stop & Shop customers will automatically be entered to win a Honda Insight Hybrid when they purchase five participating General Mills items with their Stop & Shop card. To encourage customers to think green while they shop, customers must also use a reusable bag when purchasing these products to be eligible for the prize. A full list of participating General Mills items can be found at www.stopandshop.com. Winners will be announced May 20.

"Earth Day is great time to remind customers about the simple ways they can help protect the environment every time they shop," said Faith Weiner director of public affairs for Stop & Shop. "In 2007, Stop & Shop was the only supermarket chain selected by the U.S. Green Building Council to participate in a Volume Certification program for retailers to integrate sustainability into existing buildings. Three years later we're still going strong and exploring new ways to 'green' our stores."

Here's how Stop & Shop is putting the three "R's" for the environment into action in its stores:

• Reduce. Stop & Shop's green product offerings, energy-efficient lighting and refrigeration systems in stores and distribution centers and its seafood sustainability policy are just a few of the ways Stop & Shop reduces its ecological footprint year round. This spring, Stop & Shop will complete the installation of seven Photovoltaic solar power generating systems on three of its stores in Mass. and four in N.J.  These renewable energy systems will further reduce the company's dependence on the power generated by the local utilities.
• Reuse. All Stop & Shop stores sell reusable bags for .99 cents and insulated bags for $1.99.  Customers receive five cents off their total shopping bill for every bag (paper, plastic or reusable) brought from home.
• Recycle. Customers can bring back their plastic grocery, dry cleaning and newspaper bags to Stop & Shop after they are finished using them. All items, including left over shrink wrap from stores, are sent to Recover, Inc., Stop & Shop's plastic recycling company, to recycle the plastic into other commodities such as composite decking.

For more information on Stop & Shop's company-wide Recycling and Environment initiatives, visit www.stopandshop.com.

About Stop & Shop

The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company employs more than 59,000 associates and operates stores throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, New York, and New Jersey. The company is a member of the US Green Building Council and has been awarded LEED (EB) certifications for 50 of its existing stores. Stop & Shop has been recognized by the EPA for the superior energy management of its stores and is also a member of the EPA's Smart Way program.

SOURCE Stop & Shop