Mitre 10 to ditch single-use plastic bags, boot liners by mid 2018

Mitre 10 chief executive Neil Cowie. Photo / Supplied

Hardware chain Mitre 10 has announced that it will remove single-use plastic bags from its stores by the middle of next year.

It will also ditch the use of plastic boot liners.

Mitre 10 chief executive Neil Cowie said the decision reflected an increased level of interest from its customers.

"As a group of locally owned and operated businesses, we want to do our bit for New Zealand and tackling single-use plastic bags is one of those steps we need to take," Cowie said.

"From the outset our store owners were overwhelmingly in support of a move to reduce the environmental impact of plastic bag waste, and all indications show this view is shared by our customers too."

From next year customers will have the option to purchase reusable bags, and a non-plastic boot liner alternative will be introduced in coming months, Cowie said.

Mitre 10 posted 38 per cent gain in full-year profit last month.

Profit was $4.4 million in the 12 months ended June 30 from $3.2m a year earlier, and revenue from the sale of goods rose to $818m from $767m.

The cooperative, whose shares are held by its store-owning members, supplies goods and services to 81 outlets.

Mitre 10 joins New World and Countdown in its bid to ditch the use of single-use plastic bags by the end of 2018.