The Brazilian supermarket chains Bompreço, Hiper Bompreço and TodoDia, concentrated in the nine states of the country's Northeast region, have begun discount programs in their 131 stores for shoppers with reusable or returnable bags. Clients earn the equivalent of one cent on the dollar for every plastic bag avoided, which reflects the total cost that the markets spend on buying new bags.

A pilot project ran from December to March in 50 stores in Salvador and Recife. The discount total was 14,748 dollars, meaning the non-use of more than one million plastic bags.

“Participation surpassed expectations, primarily because it is helping change society's habits, which for 30 years has been invaded by plastic bags,” Bompreço director Luiz Herrisson told Tierramérica.

The new program aims to double the results of the pilot project, he said.