Seikatsu Club Consumers' Co-operative Union(hereinafter SCCCU) will gradually change some of the rice packaging used in its home delivery service from July onwards, promoting a reduction in the amount of plastic used. By decreasing the amount of plastic in the packaging, a reduction in CO₂, a greenhouse gas, will be achieved.

Currently, the rice packaging uses plastic bags with a thickness of 80 microns. The new packaging will have a thickness of 70 microns, representing a reduction of 10 microns. Additionally, since reducing the thickness of the current packaging material would result in increased softness and a higher risk of bag breakage, a new material that is slightly harder than the existing one has been adopted to ensure the strength of the packaging is maintained.

Based on the actual orders received in FY2023, calculations indicate that the change in packaging materials will result in a 12.5% reduction in plastic usage, leading to an annual reduction of approximately 2 tons of plastic.

The rice subject to the change of packaging will include rice jointly developed by SCCCU and rice producers. The new packaging will start with rice produced at selected partner factories. SCCCU will continue to conduct demonstration tests of the packaging, while advancing its switchover, with the goal of reducing environmental impact and achieving a sustainable future.