From groceries and pantry stock runs to retail therapy, shopping is part of daily life for many Filipinos. With every purchase made and items bought, mindless shopping habits like the way we carry our purchases home can have a lasting impact. One we may not be too proud of.
As a way to encourage a more sustainable and mindful shopping habit, Watsons Philippines encourages their shoppers to BYOB or Bring Your Own Bag. To reinforce this practice, all Watsons stores nationwide have begun charging Php 1.00 for each paper bag requested by their customers during checkout. This initiative aims to reduce reliance on single-use bags while supporting a meaningful cause. Watsons will donate 100% of paper bag proceeds to its Give A Smile Program, where customers can help support free cleft correction surgeries for Filipino children nationwide.
After phasing out plastic shopping bags across its stores, Watsons is taking the next step in its sustainability journey by encouraging customers to bring reusable bags whenever they shop.
“Thousands of shoppers visit Watsons for health and beauty essentials daily. By introducing BYOB, we want to encourage a simple shift in behavior. We want to make bringing reusable bags or putting smaller items in their bags a part of the shopping routine. Small choices like this may seem insignificant on their own, but we are actually helping reduce paper waste that ends up in our landfills and clogs waterways,” said Danilo S. Chiong, Managing Director of Watsons Philippines.
Beyond its environmental impact, communities and children born with cleft conditions also benefit through Watsons’ Give A Smile Program, its long-standing advocacy partnership with Operation Smile Philippines. Since 2013, the program has provided cleft care and treatment to 2,689 Filipino children. Watsons will donate every peso collected from paper bag purchases directly to the program to reach even more children and give them new hope and beautiful smiles.
The initiative reflects Watsons’ belief that creating positive change starts with everyday choices. When customers, communities, and businesses come together to make more sustainable choices, we can do good together and create meaningful change.
Watsons invites customers to bring their own reusable bags whenever they shop, discover Sustainable Choices products by visiting stores nationwide or the Watsons App, and support the Give A Smile Program in creating a positive impact for both people and the planet.
Let’s Do Good Together.
About Watsons Philippines
Watsons is the flagship health and beauty brand of A.S. Watson Group, the world’s largest international health and beauty retailer. Today, the company operates in over 16,900 stores across 12 retail brands in 30 markets, employing 130,000 people globally.
In 2002, AS Watson Group joined hands with SM, the Philippines’ leading shopping mall developer. The partners brought about the first Watsons stores in SM Megamall and The Podium (Ortigas) and has since seen rapid growth. Today, Watsons operates more than 1,200 stores in the Philippines (as of January 2025).
Watsons strives to ensure that its customers get the best value for their money through monthly promotions, special offers, and continuous consumer marketing programs. Each Watsons store houses nothing but the best brands from top manufacturers all over the world and also carries its own competitively priced, high-quality private labels and brands. With more than 1000 brands ranging from medicines, cosmetics, and fragrances to personal care items and general merchandise, Watsons Your Personal Store delivers only the best health, wellness, and beauty solutions to each and every customer.
