Huge change to Woolworths and Coles plastic bag policy

Coles and Woolworths are abandoning some of their plastic and produce shopping bags in a bid to reduce waste. 

Woolworths is getting rid of its 15c-plastic bags in Queensland and the ACT while Coles will abandon its mesh produce bags introduced in Canberra last year. 

Woolworths state general manager in Queensland Danny Baldwin said the decision was influenced by its customers, with 80 per cent customers already using bags brought from home.

‘Eighty per cent of our customers currently bring in their own bag, so over the number of years, I think customers have really responded to reusing bags,’ Mr Baldwin said. 

‘By removing the 15-cent plastic bag in Queensland and the ACT, we will be removing over 1,600 tonnes of plastic from the system.’

Paper, fabric and chill bags will still be available for purchase in stores. 

Meanwhile, Coles stores have ditched a reusable mesh bag for fruit and veggies the supermarket giant has been trialling in Canberra since September.

It replaced plastic bags across the produce aisles and would have been expanded to all Coles stores across the country if the trial had been successful CityNews reported. 

But the bags did not strike a chord enough with customers or staff.  

Coles will instead use compostable bags for fruit and vegetables after customers found the drastic change ‘challenging’. 

‘We acknowledge a significant change of this kind was challenging for both our customers and in-store teams,’ a spokesperson said. 

‘However, we remain committed to working towards appropriate and accessible plastic reduction initiatives for our customers moving forward.’

Mr Baldwin said Woolies are also working on how to clear its groceries aisles from plastic bags and hope to phase out its use in its online business this year.