Woolies’ phase-out of its 15c plastic bags is set to sweep across the nation. Here’s the latest places you soon won’t be able to get them.
Woolworths has started phasing out its heavy-plastic reusable bags across South Australia and the Northern Territory – and it’s only a matter of time before it does the same in the eastern states.
It comes after legislation in Western Australia forced it to stop offering the 15c bags in that state.
As Woolworths moves to go green by eliminating the use of plastic bags, it has since ramped up production of its 20c paper bags after partnering with Adelaide-based manufacturer Detpak in 2020, The Advertiser reports.
The 99c reusable bags will also remain available to shoppers.
In June, Woolworths became the first big supermarket chain to pledge the permanent removal of plastic shopping bags, with all stores nationwide expected to phase them out by the end of 2023.
It is expected to remove more than 9000 tonnes of plastic from national circulation annually, including over 916 tonnes across SA and the NT.
Woolworths assistant state general manager for SA, Elisha Moore, said it was “the beginning of an important shift to more sustainable grocery shopping across the country”.
“South Australia has always been a leader in sustainability and has championed the move away from single-use plastic,” she said.
Ms Moore said Woolworths wasn’t just looking to phase out plastic bags but also pave the way to a shopping experience where supermarkets manufacture fewer bags overall.
To do that, she encouraged shoppers to get in the habit of having dedicated grocery bags that they bring with them when they go for a Woolies run.
“Bringing your own bags is the very best outcome for the environment and we encourage our customers to keep up the great work,” she added.
“Paper bags will continue to be available for those who forget to bring their own – but ultimately we want to sell less bags altogether.
“We know it may be an adjustment for some customers and we thank them in advance for their support.”
According to Woolworths, eight in every 10 customers are already bringing their own bags.
The company also announced that customers will be notified ahead of imminent changes to their local store through emails, advertising an in-store signs.
Despite NSW introducing a soft-plastic ban, plastic bags used in the produce section of Woolworths still remain as the supermarket “works to explore more sustainable options”.
“In South Australia earlier this year, Woolworths switched to compostable fruit and veg bags – a move made possible by the state’s nation-leading access to household composting,” Woolworths Group said in a statement.
Big W is also set to phase out plastic reusable bags.
Extracted from News.com.au
