Woolworths has pulled ahead of Coles in reducing plastic waste, with one exception – it remains addicted to the pester power of Ooshies. Woolworths is using far fewer plastic produce bags for online shopping orders than Coles and less plastic behind the scenes in its supply chain, and is also more transparent about the plastic in its home-brand product range, a national report by the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) has found. The difference is noticeable to consumers. Emily Hamilton, 38, from Preston in Melbourne, says she used to be the type of shopper who went to the store with cloth bags for loose vegetables such as green beans and refilled containers of bulk items at the health food store. Now, with an 18-month-old daughter and a part-time job, she relies on the convenience of home delivery. “Usually, Woolworths is OK, but Coles on the other hand are just so bad – everything comes in plastic bags, and this order was the same sort of thing,” Hamilton said. “I’ve had them put one garlic bulb in a plastic bag, or I’ll get four onions and three would be in one bag and one in another. One time, I got a cabbage that was wrapped in plastic and also in a plastic bag. It’s pretty wild. That only happens at Coles, so I just don’t buy from them usually because it’s consistently what happens.” Both major supermarkets use paper shopping bags – the difference is in the individual bags for loose produce. Across 80 test orders nationwide, AMCS found that 95 per cent of Coles deliveries had at least one plastic produce bag versus 8 per cent for Woolworths, and 73 per cent of items were individually bagged versus 0.3 per cent. The other two companies in the report – Aldi and independent wholesale supplier Metcash – do not offer home delivery. “We know single-use plastic remains a customer concern, and we have listened to this feedback by implementing a range of sustainability initiatives,” a Woolworths spokesman said. A Coles spokesperson said the company was committed to removing unnecessary plastic across stores and online, as well as making it easier to recycle, and had eliminated more than 700 million pieces of conventional plastic from its Coles Own Brand range since 2021. “At the same time, we recognise the crucial role packaging plays in delivering convenience, protecting fresh produce during transport, maintaining food safety and hygiene, extending shelf life, and ultimately helping to reduce food waste,” the spokesperson said. For the first time this year, Woolworths revealed how much plastic it used for packaging across its home-brand product range – 10 grams per unit sold, for a “plastic intensity score” of 10 – and has committed to updating this data annually. The Australian Marine Conservation Society report said the other three supermarkets had “fragmented” reporting on plastic use. Woolworths, Coles and Aldi were all criticised for charging more for loose produce than packaged formats. Tara Jones, program manager, plastics and packaging at AMCS, said supermarkets should sell loose as much as possible and make it the same price or cheaper than the packaged version. “Particularly in a cost of living crisis, shoppers shouldn’t be penalised financially for buying only what they need or trying to avoid unnecessary plastic packaging,” Jones said. Celeste Hankins, 38, from Ashfield in Sydney, feels “honestly very guilty” when she buys packaged food, so she usually shops for fresh fruit and vegetables at Harris Farm. Occasionally, she does a big supermarket shop for pantry staples, usually at Woolworths because she likes the layout of the local store and the range of Asian ingredients. Hankins is three weeks away from giving birth to her third child, so the grocery shopping has shifted online recently. (She will use the paper bags from the online delivery as a receptacle for recycling her subscription copies of The Sydney Morning Herald. Hamilton in Melbourne uses the bags in the garden as a layer under mulch). Hankins
También lo cubren: Brisbane Times - Latest News, The Age - Latest News, watoday.com.au - WA Today - Latest News.
🔗 Leer la noticia completa en Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
Ver más en News Today