Gold Coast shoppers furious over Hope Island Coles plastic bag ban

DAY one of Hope Island Coles’ pilot test to completely remove single-use plastic bags has sparked mixed reviews from shoppers. Here’s what they had to say.

LOCAL shoppers have given mixed reviews on the removal of single use plastic bags at the Hope Island Coles store.

On day one, some shoppers, who had been advised of the change for weeks, were left outraged.

Hope Island Coles becomes first in the state to remove single-use plastic carry bags. Today is the first day of the rollout. State Manager Jerry Farrell with the bags. . Picture Glenn Hampson

“I’ve complained because the old ones weren’t there, and I’m annoyed about that,” shopper Chris Indermaur said.

“Because I use the old bags to take out rubbish from my kitchen, now I’m going to have to buy them in future, just so Coles can make a little bit more profit ... it’s meaningless virtue signalling.”

Others knew it was inevitable, and an important step to environmental sustainability.

“I think it’s such a big thing and if our state can make a big difference why not? Plastic bags are affecting the world and it sucks,” Casey Teamo said.

More durable green bags have been around for a number of years now, but for 15 cents customers can purchase Coles’ ‘Better Bags’, which are made from 80 per cent recycled material.

“The whole point of these is you can use them many times, and also in the shop we have a red recycle bin, customers can bring their existing plastic bags in, and these bags, once they do wear out they can bring them in too and recycle them and put them into other products and uses,” Coles state general manager Jerry Farrell said.

Hope Island Coles becomes first in the state to remove single-use plastic carry bags. Today is the first day of the rollout. Suzy McDonald of Sanctuary Cove is not fussed about it. Picture Glenn Hampson

Mr Indermaur said switching out one plastic bag for another, achieves nothing.

“They’re going to end up 30 feet underground in a dump that won’t be dug up for 100 years, it makes no difference whatsoever.”

“When I go home and unload, I’ll put the rubbish in the bag and carry it out to the bin as I’ve always done with the grey bags, so this won’t save anything. Just make a bit more profit for Coles.”

Suzy McDonald agreed.

“It’s going to be a plus one way, but not the other.

“I’m not in favour of getting rid of them personally, I think we’re going to chop down more trees, because we’ve got to put them in something.

“I can’t see why people can’t just re-use the ordinary plastic bags.”

The Hope Island store is the first Coles in the state to remove the single-use bags, ahead of the eventual phase out from the entire franchise on July 1.

“We’ve got a long history in Hope Island, got really good engagement with the community and thought this was a good shop to run the trial in and good opportunity to learn, before we go big bang, launching it across the country.”

Hope Island Coles becomes first in the state to remove single-use plastic carry bags. Today is the first day of the rollout. Casey Teamo of Upper Coomera thinks it's a good idea. Picture Glenn Hampson

Supermarket rival already adopting plastic-free

While Coles only has four pilot stores, supermarket giant Woolworths boasts 12 across the country already that are single use plastic bag free. From June 20 single-use plastic bags will no longer be available in all of their stores — a move that brings forward the date by 10 days.

Woolworths also confirmed they are trialling the removal or reduction to plastic packaging for fruit and vegetables — already this has been done with products including organic spring onions, celery, kale and English spinach.