Plastic waste has become an unavoidable part of modern shopping, with retailers under increasing pressure to adopt more sustainable practices.

Yet, despite pledging to cut down on plastic, some supermarket displays have left shoppers scratching their heads.

A recent in-store sighting at Coles has reignited debate over supermarket sustainability efforts, highlighting the gap between environmental messaging and real-world practices.

Shoppers have called out Coles after an in-store display promoting plastic reduction appeared to contradict itself.

An image shared on social media showed a sign encouraging customers to use reusable produce bags, yet the cherry tomatoes displayed in front of it were packaged in plastic containers.

The sign read ‘reducing plastic’ and asked shoppers ‘Do you need a bag?’ before promoting reusable mesh produce bags as a more sustainable option.

Coles’ plastic-free sign sparks shopper backlash. Image source: Reddit

Coles stated that the placement of the sign was a mistake and that it would be corrected.

A spokesperson for the supermarket said: ‘We understand our customers want us to reduce unnecessary packaging and to make it easier for them to recycle. We also know that packaging plays an important role in protecting products and reducing food waste.’

They added that the company had made changes to reduce plastic, including switching to recyclable grape bags, trialling mandarins in paper bags instead of plastic nets, and packaging blueberries in recyclable cardboard punnets.

In 2023, Coles phased out soft plastic shopping bags in-store and online, removing approximately 230 million bags from circulation.

The retailer now offers 100 per cent recycled paper bags, along with reusable tote, chiller, and mesh produce bags.

The reusable mesh bags, available in a three-pack for $1.50, are made from at least 90 per cent recycled materials and designed for Coles’ weighing scales.

A spokesperson said: ‘To encourage more of our customers to purchase loose fruit and vegetables and reduce the use of single-use plastic produce bags, we offer reusable fresh produce bags available for customers to complete their shop.’

The photo sparked debate among shoppers, with many suggesting alternative packaging solutions for cherry tomatoes.

One shopper said: ‘It would be cool if they did loose cherry tomatoes per kilo the same way they do gourmet/truss. Gimme a little brown mushroom bag and a small scoop! I never need 250 grams anyway.’

Another commented that other supermarkets had already adopted this approach, with some Foodland and Woolworths stores selling loose cherry tomatoes at a cheaper price per kilogram.

However, others argued that loose produce might not be the best alternative.

One person wrote: ‘I worked in a fresh fruit and veg store. You do NOT want this. Cherry tomatoes have an incredibly low shelf life, they just randomly burst into mould and attract fruit flies.’

They explained that pre-packaged tomatoes were easier to inspect and discard if mouldy, while loose ones would spoil faster and lead to more waste.

Some suggested that supermarkets should consider different packaging options.

A shopper wrote: ‘I’ll never understand why these (tomatoes) couldn’t be replaced by a cardboard box with a thin plastic film on the lid.’

Others expanded the discussion to other produce, with one person saying: ‘I wish I could buy strawberries (loose) as well, half the pre-packaged punnets end up being the squishy, crappy ones anyway. I’d much rather pay a little more per kg to buy just the amount I’m actually gonna eat.’

A report by the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) in November found that Australia’s major supermarkets were falling short of their sustainability commitments.

The Unwrapped 2024 report assessed Coles, Woolworths, ALDI, and Metcash (IGA) on their packaging practices and found a significant gap between their sustainability promises and their actions.

It revealed that in 73 per cent of cases, fresh produce wrapped in plastic was cheaper than loose alternatives, discouraging customers from choosing plastic-free options.

The report recommended that all fresh produce be sold loose unless retailers could prove that packaging reduced food waste.

In a previous story, Coles made headlines for a major change to its packaging that had shoppers divided.

Some praised the move, while others questioned its impact on sustainability.

Read more about the reaction to Coles’ packaging decision here.

Key Takeaways

• Shoppers criticised Coles after a plastic reduction sign was placed in front of plastic-packaged cherry tomatoes.
• Coles said the sign placement was a mistake and highlighted its efforts to reduce plastic packaging.
• The photo sparked debate, with some shoppers supporting loose produce while others argued it would lead to more waste.
• A report found major supermarkets often priced plastic-wrapped produce cheaper than loose alternatives, discouraging plastic-free choices.

With supermarkets pushing sustainability while still relying on plastic packaging, do you think they're doing enough to reduce waste?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

 

[HelenB55]

Plastic will never be phased out. You just have to look at all the shelf, fridge & freezer foods that are in plastic.

Then you have products you purchase from companies which is usually wrapped in plastic. The list goes on & on…..

We can cut down on it but it is here to stay

 

[margaretritchie48]

Dont shop at coles but yes I need bags to put my food in. Too many big kids, that should be walking, sit with dirty shoes etc in trollies, So many germs.

 

[Towing]

The plastic bags on rolls in F & V Dept. can be washed and re-used if you want to - particularly if you grow you own F & V at all. Mum did it for many years.

 

[Millewah]

I use produce bags, first ones I bought many years ago & then got another lot. Last week I put a handful of beans into my produce bag, then I think it was Asparagus in other bag. I saw that the check-out young girl was very carefully removing the beans from the bag in order to weigh them & then slowly & carefully return them to the bag. The Asparagus didn't need tobe weighed as it was already priced. I asked if this was a new ruling at Coles. I think she said something like someone complaining that Coles were overcharging by weighing produce in the produce bags. There was quite a queue & I could see the care she was taking to remove & then replace was taking some time & I thought some people waiting might have been getting a bit agitated. I use produce bags because I wash all my produce in vinegar water to remove any traces of pesticides that may have been used. And after all the produce bags have been designed for us to use instead of plastic. I checked the weight of the bags at home, the smaller bag showed no weight, the larger one showed some not enough to be concerned about. I refuse to use the self serve areas. I see produce bags for sale in the fr/veg section so why the problem. Well next time shopping I am going to put a lot more into produce bags & then I will ask for the bag tobe weighed again with beans in it, just to see what difference it may make. How ridiculous our shopping experience is becoming. And how stupid some people are by complaining about petty matters. I know plastic is a problem, but I think we will always need to use some. As for small fruits & vegs being sold loose I can see it would be a problem, also because many hands would be handling the fruit & there would be a lot more wastage. We just need to find better ways & one would be to have servers on the fruit/veg areas (like in the Deli), to weigh up our fruit & veg for us so less handling. One of the major costs in business I believe is the paying of wages, but this is something that is built into the pricing of our goods. If shops want to sell more then they also have to have more staff to do the selling. Can't expect shoppers to do the work without any reduction of prices. Re the Self Service many people are saying "we don't get a discount for doing the work that staff used to do I don't work for Coles so why should I work unpaid for Coles.

 

[Towing]

There was a customer who rang what is now Metcash containing there wasn't the number of "sheets" of toilet paper because there was a couple glued to keep them on the roll. They rang a few times over a few months. It was suggested that he contact the manufacturers.