French supermarket giant Carrefour has introduced biodegradable plastic bags to its outlets in Singapore and Malaysia, according to a report in the New Straits Times.
Carrefour Malaysia managing director Jean-Luc Montembault said the bags were made of tapioca and not petroleum-based synthetic polymers, and were therefore easily absorbed by the environment.
"We are proud to announce that we are working with the first and only manufacturer in Malaysia to produce these environmentally-friendly bags which will be introduced progressively in our stores.
"Our target is to switch 100 per cent to the biodegradable bags by 1 July," said Montembault.
The hypermarket chain currently uses a million plastic bags monthly in the region.
Carrefour has also signed a memorandum of understanding withWorld Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Malaysia, which will see collaborative efforts between the two parties for five years.