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Norwich’s Rainbow Bags are green: City wholefood store sees jump in demand for jute reusable bags

Rainbow Wholefoods' Richard Austin is witnessing a leap in demand for jute bags. Recent years have seen a big leap forward in customer attitudes to environmental issues and established Norwich health food store Rainbow Wholefoods has seen an incredible response to its latest batch of jute bags, supplied by Canby. No less than 2,000 have been sold from its single retail outlet in the last year, and they are continuing to fly out of the door. However, the recent backlash against plastic bags comes as little surprise to this veteran of the wholefood business. Founded 31 years ago by Richard Austin, Rainbow Wholefoods has also grown to be one of the UK's leading health food wholesalers. The company has had an environmentally friendly approach since Day One. "We have always aimed to be as 'carbon neutral' as it's possible for a business to be," says Richard Austin. "So offering our customers a bag for life has been part of our environmental policy for a very long time. We even placed a tax of 10p on the first biodegradable plastic bag a customer uses when we saw how successful a similar tax was in Ireland." Last November Norwich was voted Britain's Greenest City in a survey of shoppers conducted by internet directory www.locallife.com. Does being in the heart of such a city make a difference? "It's a nice thought and certainly true that a lot of people in Norwich are aware of the environmental impact their behaviour can have," explains Austin. "However, the backlash against plastic bags is a national movement and 2007 is the year it's taking hold. The unbelievable demand for our jute bags shows we're playing a part, just as we are with many other environmental initiatives." In Norfolk the rise of green awareness is county-wide as Canby can testify. The jute bag supplier is supplying Norfolk Libraries with their highly successful 'Love your Library' bags as well as the Broads Authority plus several farm shops and delis. David Gould Managing Director of Canby adds: "Our order book is proof that consumers are shunning plastic bags all over the UK as well as in Norfolk. However, it's heartening to see such high demand for jute bags at Rainbow Wholefoods, a business with excellent and long-established environmental credentials." Canby is a leading UK supplier of reusable, biodegradable jute and cotton bags of any shape and size. A long-lasting, natural alternative to paper and plastic, Canby bags are produced with minimum environmental impact. As a company Canby uses government-approved carbon offsetting and operates a stringent ethical trading policy with its suppliers. Customers include The Guardian for Glastonbury and 2007 Summer Festivals, Whole Food Markets' new Kensington Store and London deli group benugo. Richard Austin started Rainbow Wholefoods in 1976. The company is still 100% vegetarian, GM-free and dedicated to organic food and wholefood in general. The wholesale business began in 1980 and Rainbow Wholefoods is now one of the UK's leading wholefood wholesalers, supplying more than 5,000 products to a large number of satisfied customers. Canby Tel: 01865 894523 www.canby.co.uk Rainbow Wholefoods www.rainbowwholefoods.co.uk