DURBAN - TINY green fingers digging about the soil, waiting for seedlings to blossom into veggies, herbs and flowers. That’s the vision of supermarket giant Checkers with their Little Garden campaign. After months of the Little Shop hype which saw children urge adults to help them collect plastic “shop” toys, the Shoprite Group decided it was time for an environmental turnabout.
“With Little Garden, Checkers hopes to encourage children and adults to get outside and spend some quality time together as they tend to their seedlings, and learn to grow their own produce,” said Shoprite Group spokesperson, Willie Peters.
After spending R150 at Checkers, each customer receives one Little Garden seedling kit which includes a small biodegradable pot, a soil pod, seed paper and a pop-out name tag of the plant that’s set to grow. A few drops of water are mixed with the soil pod which expands, and can be set into the pot with seeds, ready to blossom - and can be used in the kitchen.
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Twenty-four different types of seeds are available, and can be re-potted into a bigger garden.
Peters said the idea was inspired by consumers' urge to understand where their food comes from and how it is grown.
This is not Shoprite Group’s first environmentally friendly campaign.
“In 2013, Checkers introduced South Africa’s first 100% recycled shopping bag made from post consumer waste.
“All carton sleeves on our convenience foods are also made from recyclable material,” added Peters.
The “Little Garden” campaign follows the recent Earth Day - this year’s theme being: “End Plastic Pollution”.