THE WHAT? In honor of World Environment Day’s campaign to #BeatPlasticPollution, Qatar Duty Free is replacing single-use plastic bags with locally sourced, reusable cotton totes at its eight Hamad International Airport Day-to-Day Essential Stores, according to a report published at DFI online.

THE DETAILS Qatar Duty Free Senior Vice President Thabet Musleh told DFI online, “We are very proud of taking the first step towards transforming our shop floor into a sustainable space on World Environment Day. Sustainability is shaping the future of travel retail. As a key player in the industry, it is our responsibility to take the lead in promoting this initiative by adopting sustainable practices. Our step is the first amongst many significant decisions and actions we plan to take for a more sustainable and environmental-friendly retail experience. Sustainability has not only been a strong trend and is greatly discussed within the industry; however, it is now greatly desired and supported amongst travellers and duty-free customers.”

THE WHY? The move is part of Qatar Duty Free’s wider mission to become an eco-friendly travel retailer, replacing 100,000 single use plastic shopping bags a month with what it claims to be a more sustainable alternative.