Fight Hunger bag program Fight Hunger bag program
Case Study: Building a Successful, Profitable, and Community Impacting Reusable Bag Program
Case Study: Building a Successful, Profitable, and Community Impacting Reusable Bag Program
PS It Matters partners with retailers to create profitable mission-driven initiatives in which a portion of every business transaction gives back to a local community nonprofit.
At PS It Matters, we are on a mission to impact our local communities through everyday choices.
Bags 4 My Cause is an initiative run by PS It Matters.
For every reusable bag sold, benefitting organizations receive a $1 donation to further their impact.
As organizations advertise their selected benefitting month, they generate earned media for your banner and brand image.
As new and existing shoppers come to your store to support local causes, your store traffic and gross margin increase.
King Soopers and City Market
under Kroger
154 participating stores Supports hunger relief organizations
Benefitting period is 2 months
September 2023 - November 2023
Pilot Program
December 2023 - March 2024 Banner Rollout
August 2024 - Present Program Preparation
April 2024 - July 2024
Vetted local hunger relief organizations (5-10 miles from the store) and added them to the PSIM proprietary database
Registered store leaders on the Management Portal
Collaborated with store leaders to select benefiting organizations
Coordinated program details with selected organizations
PSIM MarCom Team provided outreach tools to the selected beneficiaries
King Soopers and City Market Store Team
Corporate Team
Set program parameters (timelines, causes, inventory)
Ordered reusable bag inventory and arranged store setup
Shared program details with store teams
Store Leaders
Registered for Management Portal with PSIM support
Set up bag rack with signage and inventory
Assigned store champion to oversee stocking and signage post launch
Fight Hunger bag program initially launched in 34 stores in December of 2023, with 1 additional store added in January 2024
Program launched with a generic bag with images of fruit, without reference to the program or hunger relief
During this pilot period from December to March, the average bags sold per day per store reached 7.0
Expanded to 152 stores in April 2024
Launched with a generic reusable bag to ensure inventory until the dedicated Fight Hunger bag was available (arrival date in July)
April and May: Averaged 7.9 bags sold per day per store
June and July: High sales caused out-of-stock challenges
August Forecast: Weekly meetings were held to ensure sufficient supply of the dedicated red Fight Hunger bag for relaunch
High sales lead to OOS period
Relaunched in August with a dedicated Fight Hunger bag, averaging 7.4 bags sold per store per day in first month September and October: Inventory moved to a corporate warehouse, causing ordering challenges and OOS issues at some stores
Despite this, sales exceeded expectations (4 bags per store per day) since launch
Steady sales showed success driven by community engagement, not bag design
The program goes beyond sales success, strengthening hunger relief efforts within our communities, while advancing sustainability through reduced plastic use
Dec 2023 - Aug 2025 Bags
Meals Provided * 1,517,106
Single-Use Plastic Bags Not Used **
15,171,060
*According to Food Bank of the Rockies, every $1 donation provides 3 meals to those in need.
**We estimate that one purchased reusable bag will be used at least six times per year. We also estimate that each time a reusable bag is used, it equates to five single-use bags that are not used. This means that for every reusable bag that is sold, 30 single-use bags are not used.
At King Soopers and City Market, hunger relief partners are supported for two-month periods, with some organizations benefiting across multiple stores.
This chart illustrates the potential impact if all 154 King Soopers and City Market store sold an average of 5.6 bags per day, and if each store supported a unique organization for each month of the year.
Champion local hunger relief efforts. Reduce waste. Make a meaningful impact. Support Kroger’s Zero Hunger | Zero Waste initiative.
“We Don’t Waste is always excited to work with the incredible support King Soopers and Fight Hunger bag program provided. We can’t thank you enough for all of the continued support we receive. If we can provide any support to your philanthropic campaigns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.”
"We’re so grateful for this partnership and for City Market selecting us. We have been able to put the word out on social media and newsletters, and we know that has gotten support from our local community members… The different ways we have continued to build this partnership and received support mean so much to us. We appreciate all that City Market does to support Manna and other organizations that do similar work both in Colorado and nationwide.”
“With times like these, our mobile pantries are serving more individuals than we were last year. Getting these funds is critical because we are now spending three times as much every month on food compared to before the pandemic. The funds will support our mission and help us meet the increased need in our communities. Every $1 donation helps provide enough food for three meals.”
The PS It Matters Role
Things we build to power a successful program.
Curate and maintain a database of local organizations within 15 miles of each store
Verify eligibility and ensure ongoing participation of organizations
Manage daily submissions from the public, store leaders, and nonprofits
Equip participating organizations with outreach strategies and ready-to-use promotional tools
Manager program website as a hub for resources and real-
time impact data
Partner with Program
Management to respond to inquiries and provide support
Empower store managers with tools, insights, and best practices to assist in implementation of revenueboosting tactics
Track sales, inventory, and milestones, proactively addressing issues
Provide direct support to nonprofits to ensure an impactful selection period
Gather feedback postselection
Deliver monthly, quarterly, and annual sales and impact reports and updates
Publish an annual community impact report, blending stories and metrics
Showcase performance data online to highlight program value to all stakeholders
This program pays for itself through profitable reusable bag sales. Bags 4 My Cause is specifically designed to increase net sales and gross margin at no cost to your banner.
Our team takes care of everything for you! All your stores need to do is select nonprofit beneficiaries and print out monthly rack cards, both of which can be easily accomplished in minutes through our proprietary database and store management portal.
There is no direct competition within 10 miles of any of your stores who can offer this program. Our proprietary software and performance history establish Bags 4 My Cause’s clear competitive advantage in this market.
The Fight Hunger bag program has proven to be an operationally low-touch initiative that is easy to manage, thanks to effective coordination between the King Soopers and City Market Executive Team and the PSIM team. The utilization of proprietary systems for nonprofit selection and engagement, inventory management, and ongoing program management is both efficient and successful.
This collaboration has allowed for the smooth operation of the program, ensuring that both inventory levels and nonprofit partnerships are managed effectively.
