Grocery shopping can be both an enjoyable and tedious task. While some people relish browsing through the aisles and selecting their favourite products, others dread the long lines and crowded stores.

However, regardless of your stance on grocery shopping, one aspect of the experience can frustrate even the most seasoned shopper - the buildup of shopping bags over time.

Whether it's because of forgetfulness, a lack of storage space, or simply too many trips to the store, it's not uncommon to find yourself with a pile of bags that seem to have taken over your home.

If you’re one of those people looking for a solution to this pesky problem, then we’ve got news for you!

Grocery shopping just got a lot greener, with Coles rolling out a new scheme, designed to reduce the amount of single-use plastic bags used in their stores.

Coles Click & Collect customers can now bid farewell to plastic bags, thanks to the introduction of the supermarket's new Swap-a-box initiative. Credit: Shutterstock.

The program, called ‘Swap-a-box’, allows customers to have their ‘Click and Collect’ orders packed into reusable boxes instead of single-use plastic bags.

News of the initiative broke on social media, where customers nationwide reacted with delight.

'Woo-hoo, finally I won’t have a billion Coles bags filling up my cupboard,' one customer wrote on Facebook.

A Coles spokesperson confirmed that the Swap-a-box program, which is currently being trialled at select stores in Victoria such as Woodend and Melbourne’s Southland, as well as Inglewood in Western Australia, and three Tasmanian stores, is expected to be expanded to all 17 Coles supermarkets in Tasmania from next week.

The representative said: ‘The initiative, known as Swap-a-box, is designed to reduce the use of plastic bags and help Coles achieve its Together to Zero waste ambitions.’

‘The response from customers has been very positive and we look forward to rolling out the Swap-a-box option nationally.’

If you find yourself lucky enough to have Swap-a-box available in your local store, the program works like this: you return the boxes to the store and in return receive a gift card with a promotional code for your next Swap-a-box, free of charge.

It should be noted that Coles and its rival Woolworths have committed to replacing all single-use plastics in their stores with recyclable, reusable and compostable materials by 2025 as part of their ‘Plastic Pact’.

As part of its sustainability efforts, Coles has initiated trials of various initiatives including the removal of plastic bags from the fruit and vegetable aisles.

Meanwhile, Woolworths has commenced its nationwide phase-out of plastic shopping bags, with a goal of achieving complete plastic-free operations by June 2023.

Key Takeaways

• Coles supermarket is rolling out a new initiative called 'Swap-a-box' to reduce single-use plastic bags.
• Customers can use reusable boxes for their 'Click and Collect' orders instead of plastic bags.
• The program is being trialled at select stores, with plans to expand nationally.
• Coles and rival Woolworths aim to replace all single-use plastics with recyclable, reusable, and compostable materials by 2025.

Members, this is not only a huge positive shift for the environment but proves the power of consumer voice and action!

In recent years, more customers have become conscious of their environmental impact and the amount of plastic they waste.

This shift in consumer behaviour has increased the demand for plastic-free alternatives, particularly in shopping.

As a response, retailers are implementing various measures to reduce their environmental footprint and offer more sustainable options to their customers.

These initiatives not only benefit the environment but also contribute to creating a more socially responsible image for retailers.

Additionally, by taking a proactive approach towards sustainability, they are likely to attract more customers who value eco-friendly practices, potentially leading to increased profits in the long term.

What are your thoughts, members? Do you welcome the introduction of this program? We can’t wait for it to be introduced to our local stores! Let us know in the comments!

 

[mOiOz]

PS: Not everyone who has groceries delivered is in a "privileged position"! A HUGE number are disabled, have no transport or are simply too old...!!!
OR... perhaps even smarter. It can work out a lot cheaper if you live far away.

 

[Pink lion]

PS: Not everyone who has groceries delivered is in a "privileged position"! A HUGE number are disabled, have no transport or are simply too old...!!!

Agreed, however this comment was absolutely and entirely directed at the concept that it is being suggested that people should shop with cardboard boxes. In no way did any part of my comment, have anything to do with anything oner other than those being paid an extremely large amounts of money to make decisions, that they appear to know very little about.

Of course, the wealthy and the privileged are not the only ones receiving home deliveries.

I do apologize sincerely, if somehow you felt that my comment towards politicians, and their advisors also included you.

 

[Niecy]

Maybe go back to paper bags?

Paper bags is what was used many years ago, so why not go back to paper bags like we use when getting mushrooms. I did buy some of those net bags and they work just fine for small fruit and veg but don't fit a large Lettuce or cauliflower.

 

[Pink lion]

Paper bags is what was used many years ago, so why not go back to paper bags like we use when getting mushrooms. I did buy some of those net bags and they work just fine for small fruit and veg but don't fit a large Lettuce or cauliflower.

Net bags are fine, but you have to double up paper bags with some products and if the paper bag tears or gets wet. You're liable to lose the lot, as most of us have found out, over the years,