Updated Feb 12, 2025. Click here to read more.

February 4th, 2025. Foster’s is pleased to unveil a significant step in its ongoing commitment to sustainability. Starting February 6th, 2025, we are discontinuing the sale of single-use plastic bags at the registers in all Foster’s Supermarket locations. This measure is the latest in our efforts to target, cut, and manage heavy producers of plastic waste across our operations- within our control. We have previously eliminated Styrofoam containers and plastic straws while adopting compostable cutlery in our delis.

Foster’s latest value-priced Grocery Bag for 25 cents.

These eco-friendly initiatives have inspired us to take the next step by introducing this reusable alternative to single-use plastic bags. We expect this will help reduce plastic waste in the landfill, protect marine life, and preserve the natural beauty of the Cayman Islands. As part of this effort, we are actively planning to phase out single-use plastics across all store locations, wherever possible, by 2025.

Shared Commitment to a Sustainable Future
“At Foster’s, we’ve had to heavily reflect on what our environmental stewardship should ultimately represent to the community,” said Woody Foster, Managing Director. “By removing the single-use bags at the registers, we have re-committed ourselves to the belief that collectively, these steps—no matter how small—contribute towards a meaningful impact that we are crafting with, and for, our customers, one bag at a time.”

Foster’s still wishes to offer our customers the benefit of bag choice. This bag is our latest and most value-priced reusable option at only 25¢. In addition, a higher-capacity reusable tote bag ($1.99) and a ‘cooler bag’ ($3.49) for chilled items are also available in-store.

Foster’s also offers a Reusable Tote Bag ($1.99) and Reusable Cooler Bag ($3.49)

Foster’s recognizes that achieving meaningful change requires a collective effort, even if these efforts appear difficult to adopt initially. By choosing reusable bags and consciously reusing them repeatedly, customers play a pivotal role in reducing plastic waste and engendering a culture of sustainability within the community.

Expanding our Efforts
Foster’s is proud to be part of a transformative change in retail for the Cayman Islands. That change has also impacted our back-of-house operations, including compacting and recycling cardboard, reducing plastic wrapping for pallets in our warehouses, and utilizing solar power. We’ve recently partnered with IWC and Beacon Farms to recycle non-protein food waste, cardboard packaging, and pallets into over 30,000 lbs of compost.

These initiatives represent more than a corporate responsibility- they embody a shared vision of empowering a sustainable future. But goodwill means little without social assurances. Proceeds from the sale of these new reusable bags will positively affect the community—like those from the sale of plastic bags —contributing to sponsoring community-based initiatives, charities, and sustainability drives like Plastic Free Cayman. Together, we can supplant an age of plastic with one of renewal.

February 12th, 2024: Foster’s is incredibly grateful for the overwhelming response from our customers who are embracing reusable bags. We appreciate the community’s willingness to adopt a reusable option, but it is vital that we also adopt a reuseable practice and view these bags in contrast to the single-use plastic version.

We are proud to have taken a significant step toward sustainability by eliminating single-use plastic bags across all five supermarket locations. Since introducing our latest value-priced reusable bag, we have been inundated with incredible support from our community. However, we would like to encourage customers to consider the number of reusable bags they purchase, as these are not a replacement for single-use plastic bags but rather a sustainable alternative whose benefit lies in their reusability.

Due to higher-than-expected customer demand, our value-priced reusable bags have sold out faster than forecasted. Despite our best efforts, restocking them immediately has not been possible. However, we expect our next shipment to arrive soon.

In the meantime, we will temporarily offer single-use plastic bags to ensure a seamless shopping experience. This is not a decision we take lightly, as our commitment to reducing plastic waste remains firm. We strongly encourage customers to bring their own reusable bags whenever possible.
As soon as our value-priced reusable bags are back in stock, we will discontinue single-use plastic bags once again.

We appreciate your patience, understanding, and commitment to a more sustainable future. Thank you for sharing this important journey with us.

Customers with questions or comments about the reusable bags may speak with team members in-store, email [email protected], or contact us on Foster’s’ social media channels (@fosterscayman).