Introducing Tote Check: An Accessible Solution to Single-Use Plastic Bag Pollution
A response to the challenge of replacing the single use plastic shopping bag, I created Tote Check, a vision for a reusable shopping container system. The Tote Check system is deliberately simple and accessible, designed for people to easily make the switch to an eco friendly approach and put a major dent in plastic pollution.
HOW IT WORKS:
Stores own and manage a large collection of reusable durable containers. These can be checked out for free by shoppers, just like checking out books from the library. This ensures that financial barriers don’t keep people from being able to use the system. Stores can set a borrowing limit – just like a library – so If someone isn’t returning their totes they stop being allowed to check out new ones.
The checkout system works by using a shopper’s store loyalty card at checkout to borrow as many containers as they need. RFID tags on every container are automatically scanned as a customer exits the checkstand. This makes the tote checkout process almost effortless for store workers. To encourage adoption, stores could choose to implement an incentive program, where shoppers earn discounts, reward points, or donations for using the tote system.
For customers ordering online, the same RFID scanning system is used to check out totes when the order is fulfilled at the store. Their orders are picked up or delivered in reusable totes, and previous totes are collected by store employees to be checked back in.
For customers who shop in the store, they can return totes at a check-in drop point when they walk in the store, or hang on to them to return at the checkstand. In the future, neighborhood drop-offs could be made available so it becomes simpler than ever to return your totes.
Returned totes are cleaned (and possibly sanitized) before restocking checkout and fulfillment areas. The durable, non-porous materials can be wiped or sprayed down, or cleaning machinery can automate this process to minimize employee workload.
THE TOTES:
The totes and other containers look simple and familiar, to make the switch to reusables more palatable for shoppers. The eco-friendly plastic is a familiar light brown color, so it looks a bit like a paper shopping bag, and the size is similar too so it doesn’t feel like a huge leap from what people are used to.
The regular tote is fairly small, it holds just a little more than a typical paper grocery bag. This keeps the tote from getting too heavy, and also makes sure the tote system works well for people on foot, riding transit, or on a bicycle. The smaller size also makes the totes easier to store at home and takes up less space at checkstands. A larger size might make sense for deliveries, and this could be added to the Tote Check system.
A mini tote is also available, which is about half the size of the regular tote. It offers a great option for smaller purchases, heavier items, or anything fragile. It can also be used for separating items by type, like keeping household cleaners apart from food items, or separating frozen and refrigerated items during online order fulfillment.
Every tote is reusable, and made from durable plastic reinforced with bamboo fiber – either renewable plant based plastics or recycled plastics. They have soft flexible handles made from silicone or a similar material so they feel good to carry and you can fit a few handles at once in one hand. The totes can be customized with store branding, including printed logos on the totes and custom colors for the flexible handles.
The handles are held on with removable metal rivets, so the whole thing can be easily taken apart for repairs. Since it is easily disassembled, each component can eventually be recycled into new totes or other products.
The totes include a range of helpful features that improve the way people get their purchases home. Having a nice sturdy box with a comfy handle makes it easy to pack up purchases and there is no risk of bags breaking or tearing on the way home.
Another helpful feature is the option of an elastic band attached around the inside of each tote. The elastic creates minimal pockets, so breakable bottles, items that might spill, or bouquets of flowers can be secured upright in your tote.
Smaller reusable bins are also part of the Tote Check container family. The bins are sized to nest perfectly along the top of the totes, creating a layered shelf system. The bins can be used to help organize items at checkout, but they also provide an alternative to single-use produce containers. Instead of a plastic bag, clamshell or basket, the Tote Check bins can hold loose produce and the container weight is subtracted at checkout (with the right software design, this can be automatic or done very easily by the store clerk).
Since the bins aren’t perfect for everything, reusable fabric bags are also part of the Tote Check system. They come in two sizes, with mesh sides or solid fabric. The mesh makes it easy to see what produce is inside and read produce stickers. The solid fabric is for bulk items that would slip through the mesh, or any items that call for extra privacy. These bags can also be used as checkout bags for the pharmacy counter. Just like the bins, extra weight from the bag is automatically accounted for at checkout.
A textile wrap is also available as a tote accessory. Attached with velcro, the fabric cover can be used to keep items from spilling out on the way home (especially for shoppers heading home on a bike or riding transit). It also offers privacy and better security for delivery orders. Because the fabric wrap is flexible, it can be used even if items poke out a bit from the tote. There are wraps for the regular and mini totes, as well as small wraps for the produce bins to keep berries or tomatoes from tumbling out.
AN EYE TOWARD THE FUTURE
The Tote Check system helps set the stage for the next much-needed innovation, where single use food packaging is phased out in favor of reusable containers. The RFID checkout system and infrastructure, paired with convenient tote return options, create the foundation for a more comprehensive solution to single-use plastic. With reusable produce bins and bags as a gateway to broader behavior change, stores can expand their zero waste offerings and win over consumers who are excited to ditch plastic waste without giving up convenience.