Over the last week, many supermarkets across Da Nang have replaced plastic packaging with banana leaves in an effort to reduce plastic waste.

Vegetables are wrapped with banana leaves

Since 3 April, the city-based Co.opmart Supermarket and the BigC Mall have started to use banana leaves to wrap different types of fruits and vegetables in an effort to slash plastic waste.

The BigC Mall is trying to maintain the use of banana leaves instead of plastic for packaging vegetables within one month, and then to expand this meaningful activity in the time ahead.

Most notably, in his letter sent to supermarkets nationwide on 4 April, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc praised several supermarkets nationwide for using natural alternatives in wrapping goods, saying it contributes to raising public awareness of protecting the environment for the community’s benefits.

PM Phuc also asked the business community, supermarkets, restaurants and hotels nationwide to actively get involved in reducing the use of plastic bags.

In Da Nang, the move has to date gained much support from local shoppers.

A local resident remarked the use of banana leaves instead of plastic for packaging vegetables is a great way to reduce single-use plastic. This method has significantly helped to reduce the amount of plastic required.

She added banana leaves are a great alternative to plastic as the leaf is large, thick, and supple enough to be folded. Food are simply wrapped in a banana leaf and secured using a flexible piece of bamboo.

Local residents are also encouraged to use banana leaves widely in daily activities in order to help farmers sell banana leaves to earn extra money.

It is hoped that the packaging of vegetables with banana leaves will raise public awareness about environment protection.