Coles has kicked off a new trial offering customers the option of using cardboard boxes when buying loose fruit and veggies.
Shoppers will have the chance to reuse cardboard boxes that originally transported fresh produce to Coles stores, giving these boxes a second life and helping to minimise the need for plastic bags in the fresh section.
This plastic-free alternative is available at no cost and can be used to collect loose produce items in select stores. Customers can take the boxes home for recycling, or simply leave them at the checkout for another shopper to use.
The eight-week trial is set to roll out in five locations: Prahran and Waverley Gardens in Melbourne, Noosa Heads in Queensland, Ocean Shores in New South Wales, and Hilton in Perth.
Coles chief operations and sustainability officer Matt Swindells says not only does the initiative help reduce the use of single-use plastic produce bags, the cardboard 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,” said Swindells.
“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.”
According to a Coles survey, eight out of 10 shoppers reckon it’s important for produce packaging to be recyclable, and 61 per cent of those surveyed are keen on the cardboard box option.
Coles partner Planet Ark CEO Rebecca Gilling said the initiative is a fantastic way to encourage customers to buy loose fruit and veggies and cut down on plastic fresh produce bags.
“Coles is providing its customers with a way to reduce their use of plastic,” she said.
“Not only is this encouraging more customers to buy loose, but it’s also helping to advance the circular economy by giving those used cardboard boxes a second life and helping to reduce our need for single-use plastic bags.”
The boxes, which were previously used for transporting fresh fruit and veggies, can be found in the fresh produce section and at the checkouts of participating stores.
In 2023, Coles also stopped selling soft plastic shopping bags both in-store and online, getting rid of 230 million plastic bags in just one year.