Familiprix, a Quebec-based company, has announced it will stop selling single-use water bottles of 750ml or less as part of what it calls an eco-responsible shift.
The bottles are expected to be removed from shelves by January.
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Familiprix would be the first pharmacy company to reduce the availability of single-use bottles.
According to officials, this measure would remove more than 10 million single-use water bottles from Familiprix stores annually.
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Bottles of one liter and more will remain available in stores, “in order to meet the immediate and urgent needs of the population that may arise.”
This will also be the case for individual-sized bottles at the discretion of the pharmacy-owners and according to the needs of their community — such as for tourism, said the company.
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Familiprix says it wants to encourage more consumers to change their shopping habits and help reduce the number of plastic bottles that end up in landfill.
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“Every day, Familiprix-affiliated pharmacists help consumers take control of their health, and when it comes to health, people’s health is inseparable from that of the planet,” said President Albert Falardeau in a statement.
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Familiprix has close to 400 branches in Quebec and New Brunswick.
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