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Coles to AXE plastic bags for fruit and veggies in Australia-first trial with a permanent ban just a few weeks away
- Coles stores in the ACT will remove single-use plastic bags in two-week trial
- Customers encouraged to bring reusable bags when buying fruit and veggies
- The trial at the supermarket giant is set to run from August 31 until September 13
- Single-use plastic bags will be axed from all 12 stores in ACT from September 14
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Supermarket giant Coles is set to remove single-use plastic bags in the ACT from next month.
The trial will encourage customers to bring in reusable alternatives when purchasing fruit and vegetables.
The trial will run from August 31 to September 13 with customers who spend $5 on fruit and vegetables able to receive a free three-pack of reusable mesh fresh produce bags, made with 90 per cent recycled materials.
Supermarket giant Coles is set to remove single-use plastic bags in the ACT from next month
With the trial running from August 31 to September 13, customers who spend $5 on fruit and veg will receive a free 3-pack of reusable mesh fresh produce bags (pictured), which is made with 90 per cent recycled materials
The two-week trial will run just before Coles brings in a complete ban on single-use plastic bags across all of its 12 ACT stores on September 14.
The initiative is expected to reduce around 11 tonnes of plastic each year, according to Coles Chief Operations and Sustainability Officer Matt Swindells.
‘Under our Together to Zero waste ambition, we are always looking for ways to reduce reliance on unnecessary and problematic single-use plastics packaging and provide sustainable solutions to our customers,’ he said.
‘This will be the first time a major Australian supermarket will trial a completely reusable method of helping customers purchase their fresh fruit and veggies.
‘We will be looking closely at how our ACT customers respond. These insights will inform our consideration for potentially rolling this out to our customers nationally.’
Coles Chief Operations and Sustainability Officer Matt Swindells said: ‘This will be the first time a major Australian supermarket will trial a completely reusable method of helping customers purchase their fresh fruit and veggies’
Coles recently rolled out fresh produce bags made with 50 per cent recycled plastic across the country, which can be returned to REDcycle bins at any Coles supermarket to be recycled.
The plastic barrier bags will continue to be used in delis and in Coles’ online orders, and paper bags will still be available in the fresh produce section for customers to pack their mushrooms.
The move follows Coles’ recent introduction of the Marine Reusable Shopping Bags made with 80 per cent recycled plastic, including 20 per cent marine waste collected from coastlines, beaches and waterways.
Coles is also making strides in its ambition to become Australia’s most sustainable supermarket by reducing unnecessary plastics in Own Brand products.
Earlier this year, Coles removed plastic scoops from Coles Tropical Paradise and Coles Ultra Original and Sensitive laundry powders, saving three tonnes of plastic in a single year.