Familiprix will soon become the first major pharmacy banner to eliminate most single-use plastic water bottles from its locations.

Beginning in January, boxes of bottled spring water in 750 ml sizes and smaller will no longer be sold in its network of nearly 400 pharmacist-owned locations in Quebec and New Brunswick, a move the company says will eliminate over 10 million single-use plastic bottles.

In its place, Familiprix will instead move towards sustainable solutions, such as water bottle refill stations. It will also continue to stock one-litre bottles of water to address cases of “urgent and immediate needs of the general population, specifically with respect to medical uses.”

“Familiprix affiliated pharmacist-owners help consumers take charge of their health,” president Albert Falardeau said in a release. “We believe that peoples’ health is inevitably closely tied to the health of the planet.”

Familiprix will be rolling out more environmental initiatives in the coming months. In addition to eliminating plastic water bottles, Bernard Godbout, VP of marketing at Familiprix, says the company has recently started a new merchandising program that will make it easier for customers to identify more environmentally friendly products. He adds that Familiprix pharmacists have embraced the importance of offering more environmentally friendly solutions, as it reflects the values of its customers.