Coles trials cardboard boxes to replace single-use plastic bags

Coles customers now have the option to use a cardboard box when buying loose fruit and vegetables, in a new eight-week trial to reduce plastic waste and the use of single-use plastic bags in the fresh produce department.

The trial will take place in five stores, including Prahan and Waverly Gardens in Melbourne, Noosa Heads in Queensland, Ocean Shores in New South Wales and the Perth suburb of Hilton.

The plastic-free alternative will be free of charge, giving customers the opportunity to reuse one of the cardboard boxes used to deliver fresh fruit and vegetables to Coles stores.

Customers can then use the boxes to carry items home where they can be recycled, or they can leave the box at the checkout for another customer.

According to a Coles survey, eight in 10 shoppers feel it is important for produce packaging to be recyclable, while 61 per cent of interviewed customers feel positively about the cardboard box solution.

Matt Swindells, Coles Chief Operations and Sustainability Officer, said not only does the initiative help reduce the use of single-use plastic produce bags, the carboard boxes provide a free solution for those who forget their reusable shopping bags.

“We know our customers want us to provide more sustainable packaging solutions, and this trial offers a plastic-free alternative to fresh produce bags that, if successful, could see a sizeable reduction in the number of plastic produce bags in circulation,” he said.

“The great thing about these boxes is that they fit easily in your trolley, and can be taken home and recycled, or left at store for someone else to use again. It also brings a local grocer feel to your shop while helping to create a more sustainable future.”

The boxes are available in the fresh produce department and at the checkouts of participating stores.

For more information, https://www.colesgroup.com.au/home/?page=home