Coles and Woolworths to ban single-use plastic bags soon
Macarthur area shoppers are being reminded that supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths are about to remove single-use plastic shopping bags from their stores.
Macarthur
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MACARTHUR area shoppers are being reminded that supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths are about to remove single-use plastic shopping bags from their stores.
The ban starts at Woolworths on Wednesday, June 20, and at Coles on Sunday, July 1.
The change will not include small bags used to carry meat, fruit and vegetables or heavy plastic bags used at electronics or fashion shops.
Woolworths and Coles shoppers can buy thicker and reusable plastic bags for 15c each or bring their own reusable bags each time they shop.
Each supermarket will also continue to see canvas shopping bags, with the Woolworths brand selling for 99c each.
Woolworths Group CEO Brad Banducci said the company felt very strongly that the phase out of single-use plastic bags was the right thing to do and that together with its customers, the business could help create a greener future for Australia.
“We know this is a big change for our customers and store teams and we need to do all we can to make the transition as seamless as possible for both,’’ Mr Banducci said.
By the end of this year, Woolworths will no longer sell plastic straws within the Group in Australia and New Zealand, saving 134 million plastic straws from going into circulation each year.
Across the Woolworths Group, more than 3.2 billion single-use plastic bags are handed out by at its supermarkets in Australia each year.
Another few billion are handed out from Coles supermarkets each year.
The ban aims to reduce the amount of non-biodegradable plastic bags ending up in landfill and waterways.