Apple Stores to Use Paper Bags Made of 80% Recycled Materials

Apple’s environmental efforts have been receiving more attention recently, especially since the company started its iPhone SE/9.7-inch iPad Pro event with Lisa Jackson, Apple vice president of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives, on stage presenting the progress they have made recently. Now 9to5Mac reports that Apple has announced it will be moving away from the typical plastic Apple Store bags and using paper bags made of 80% recycled materials instead.

The leaked info comes from an internal memo sent to retail employees, which says the change is expected to commence on April 15. The note also adds that if the store has plastic bags in stock, they should use those instead until they run out, and switch to paper bags only after that.

Apple also advises employees to ask customers whether they want a bag before placing the selected product into it, thus limiting the number of medium- and large-sized bags they use.

At this point the design of the paper shopping bag is unclear. Apple previously used paper bags when the Apple Watch launched, so that would be a possibility. Those bags come with colourful rope handles.