OREANDA-NEWS. DIXY launched “Neighbors on the Planet”, a large-scale environmental program that brings together projects already under way at stores and distribution centers with new initiatives in the area. Notably, in May and June, the Group began a project of separate waste collection from people for recycling, including batteries from offices.

Commenting on the news, Ilya Yakubson, the President of the Group, said: “DIXY continues to open stores at rapid rates and is moving into new cities and towns. In each one, we promote the principle of good neighborliness, by which we mean care for not only our customers and employees, but also the environment. Our environmental responsibility is informed by our business: recycling waste from stores, reducing electricity consumption, and so on. However, this year, we decided to broaden the range of our initiatives. Our stores and offices will gradually become places where everyone can show that they care for the planet. I am confident that if we organize the collection of garbage for recycling, many people will use resources more carefully.”

As part of the project, special containers will be placed in DIXY stores for collecting various types of garbage from residents for recycling: paper, glass, cans and plastic bottles.

In addition, at the beginning of June, DIXY launched its first collection point for used batteries in its head office. The batteries will be sent to Russia's only facility that specializes in recycling power sources.

The Group continues to adhere to environmentally friendly work principles not only its stores, but also its distribution centers, which feature recycling points for plastic, cardboard, polyethylene pellicle and wooden objects.

Recycling is not the only part of DIXY's environmental policy. Throughout the regions where the Group is present, there is an initiative to reduce the use of plastic bags: reusable eco-bags are on sale at stores and Victoria supermarkets have biodegradable bags. Products in bulk are also sold in reusable packaging. DIXY

seeks to re-use resources where possible, including in promotions, where the use of paper is kept to a minimum.

The Group's initiatives are evaluated by the environmental community. For the second year in a row, in Greenpeace's “Green Supermarket” rating of major food retailers, DIXY's “neighborhood” format has ranked as one of the leaders. The rating is based on evaluations by Greenpeace representatives and customer surveys.