Coles is trialling free cardboard boxes in fruit and vegetable section

Coles is trialling a new way for shoppers to complete their grocery shop, offering a free alternative to single-use plastic bags.

Coles has announced it is trialling a new way for shoppers to complete their grocery shopping by giving customers the option to use a cardboard box to carry fresh fruit and veg.

The Australian retailer is offering free-of-charge containers in its fresh produce section in a bid to reduce the number of single-use plastic bags used.

The repurposed cardboard boxes, initially used to transport fresh produce from farms to Coles stores nationwide, are being given a second lease on life with customers either able to take them home or leave at the checkout for someone else to use.

The eight week trial will take place in Prahan and Waverly Gardens in Melbourne, Ocean Shores in New South Wales, Hilton in Perth and Noosa Heads in Queensland.

Coles has announced it will be trialling customers using a cardboard box in its fresh produce section to since the single-use plastic bags. Picture: Supplied

Matt Swindells, Coles’ chief operations and sustainability officer, said it helps reduce plastic bags but also is a solution for people who forget their reusable shopping bags.

“We know our customers want us to provide more sustainable packaging solutions, and this trial offers a plastic-free alternative to fresh produce bags that, if successful, could see a sizeable reduction in the number of plastic produce bags in circulation,” said Mr Swindells.

“The great thing about these boxes is that they fit easily in your trolley, and can be taken home and recycled, or left at store for someone else to use again. It also brings a local grocer feel to your shop while helping to create a more sustainable future.”

The initiative has been created in connection with Planet Ark, with the organisation’s CEO Rebecca Gilling, stating it was an excellent way to encourage customers away from the single-use bags.

“Coles is providing its customers with a way to reduce their use of plastic. Not only is this encouraging more customers to buy loose, but it’s also helping to advance the circular economy by giving those used cardboard boxes a second life and helping to reduce our need for single-use plastic bags,” said Ms Gillings.

A recently survey conducted by the supermarket revealed that eight in 10 shoppers feel it is important for product packaging to be recyclable.

The trial will be in five stores. Picture: NCA NewsWire / James Gourley

It comes after the supermarket revealed a switch change up in Western Australia in this department.

Coles removed its single use produce bags across Western Australia as the new stage of the ban comes into play on September 1.

This will mean 36 million conventional plastic produce bags from 101 Western Australian stores will be removed from circulation every year.

Now, the new bags can be reused for Coles customers to collect kitchen food scraps and then added to home compost bins or, for councils participating, green collection bins.

Western Australia isn’t the first state to do this, with South Australia also phasing out single use produce bags.

Last year, Coles stopped selling soft plastic bags in store and online to remove 230 million plastic bags in a year. Now, they only sell 100 per cent recycled paper bags, a reusable toes, chiller and mesh produce bags.