‘Run, don’t walk’: Coles launches $20 designer shopping bag
The supermarket has sent Aussies into a spin after collaborating with a designer brand to sell a luxury item at a much cheaper price.
If you’ve been looking to level up your grocery game, you may want to take note, because Coles has just dropped its first ever designer shopping bag.
The supermarket giant has partnered with Anya Hindmarch, the mastermind behind the cult “The Universal Bag”, to create a reusable carrier in the brand’s iconic colours.
Since launching across the almost 900 Coles stores nationwide on Wednesday, the $20 product has been seemingly flying off shelves, with social media awash with videos as shoppers rush to snag the limited-edition item.
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“Run, don’t walk to Coles right now,” declared one Aussie in a TikTok video.
“Just got one and it’s so cute, the fabric feels really sturdy too,” added another.
Coles said its decision to partner with Hindmarch – who created the luxury British accessories brand of her own name – was motivated by a desire to “help make sustainable choices more accessible for our customers”.
“By collaborating with Anya on the Coles Universal Bag we’re bringing together fashion and function to help inspire more conscious choices every day,” a Coles spokesperson said.
“The Universal Bag is more than just a stylish tote. It’s a product that can make a real impact by diverting plastic from waste from landfill and giving it a second life, so that it can be used time and time again at our checkouts.”
The price of a shoulder bag by the British label can cost as high as £1695, about $3400 Australian Dollars, making the $20 supermarket edition a “steal” for some.
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The Coles Universal Bag is the 26th edition of the sustainable item and adds to a growing global line up of retailers, including Woolies which launched its own green version earlier in the year.
It’s been 7 years since Coles and Woolworths stopped offering shoppers free single-use plastic bags, and since then, an array of different “bags for life” have been available in various different designs.
The supermarket giants both also sell 100 per cent recycled brown paper bags at the checkout for those who forget to bring theirs from home.
Anya Hindmarch is well versed at collaborating with supermarket chains, with The Universal Bag – which comes with a 10-year guarantee – already stocked in British supermarket’s Asda, Co-op, Morrisons, Sainsburys and Waitrose as well as in bougie food retailers Selfridges Food Hall and Whole Foods UK.
It’s also available in select stores in Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore, with more retailers continuing to be added to the global line-up.
Hindmarch’s efforts to reduce single-use plastic began 14 years ago, with the launch of her ‘I Am Not A Plastic Bag’ campaign.
The Universal Bag initiative came later, launching in 2021, and the project has reportedly saved over 336 tonnes of virgin plastic from landfill, the equivalent weight of over 27 London double decker buses.
“I am delighted to be working with Coles as the latest partner in the global rollout of the Universal Bag project,” Hindmarch said.
“Their scale, reach and commitment to reducing plastic waste makes Coles a strong partner to continue to support the project in Australia.
“Together I hope we can encourage many more customers to choose a bag that is practical, durable and one that they will enjoy reusing for many years ahead.”
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Much like Woolies’ collaboration with Hindmarch, there has been a mix of support and criticism of Coles’ new shopping bag, with some claiming the Australian retailer should have collaborated with a local designer as others complained about the price.
“Why on earth would you pay $20 for a shopping bag?” asked one.
As another said: “Dear Coles, we have fashion designers right here in Australia. Why partner with Anya Hindmarch, a foreign designer?”
