If you’ve ever wandered the aisles of your local Coles, reusable shopping bag in hand, you might have noticed something a little odd in the fresh produce section.
On one side, a sign earnestly asks, ‘Do you really need a bag? Place your loose fruit & veg directly into the basket.’
Just a few steps away, another sign proudly proclaims, ‘We wrap cucumbers to stay fresh longer,’ with rows of individually plastic-wrapped cucumbers on display.
It’s enough to make even the most eco-conscious shopper scratch their head. Are we supposed to be cutting down on plastic, or is it all just for show?
The mixed messages have sparked a wave of criticism online, with shoppers and environmentalists alike calling out Coles for what they see as a classic case of ‘do as I say, not as I do’.
Plastic: The good, the bad and the confusing
Let’s be honest: plastic is everywhere in our supermarkets. From shrink-wrapped veggies to plastic punnets of berries, it’s hard to avoid.
Coles, like its main rival Woolworths, has made public commitments to reduce unnecessary plastic and make packaging easier to recycle.
They’ve introduced recyclable grape bags, trialled fibre-based blueberry punnets, and even rolled out mandarins in recyclable bags.
But for every step forward, there seems to be a step back. As one frustrated shopper put it online, ‘They use plastic with pretty much every product, yet put the blame on us for using a plastic bag at checkout and to bag our fruit and veg. It’s all crap. Plastic is the customer’s fault? Look around, Coles, WE aren’t the problem.’
Another pointed out the practical side: ‘Yes, we need bags. It’s never been about the environment, it’s about control and money. If Coles and Woolworths regularly had their trolleys and baskets pressure cleaned… you wouldn’t need bags.’
The supermarket responds
In response to the criticism, a Coles spokesperson said the company is ‘committed to reducing unnecessary plastic and making our packaging easier to recycle’.
‘We encourage our customers to purchase loose fruit and vegetables as just a way to help reduce the use of single-use plastic bags.’
But does the plastic really help? Environmental scientist Dr Paul Harvey isn’t convinced. ‘If a plastic package can extend the shelf life of a ‘fresh’ food item for days or weeks, then what is the nutritional value of that product?’ he asks.
‘There is copious volumes of food waste each day, and this happens regardless of the item being wrapped in plastic. Often when the item has been on the shelf too long, it gets thrown into the garbage still wrapped in plastic, heading straight for one of those near-capacity landfills.’
Greenwashing or genuine change?
It’s not just about cucumbers. Supermarkets have run ‘plastic free’ campaigns while simultaneously giving away plastic toys and figurines.
Dr Harvey points out that if supermarkets really wanted to make a difference, they could use their market power to pressure manufacturers to reduce or remove plastic from packaging altogether.
Instead, much of the plastic in the fresh food section is about making produce look more attractive and easier to manage in stock, rather than actually protecting the food.
‘Most of the plastic packaging that is used in the fresh food departments has little to do with product quality control, and more to do with saleability of the product… or stock inventory control,’ Dr Harvey says.
The bigger picture: Australia’s plastic problem
Australia uses around 70 billion pieces of soft plastics like food wrappers every year. With so much plastic in circulation, and supermarkets sending mixed messages, it’s no wonder shoppers are confused. Are we making a real difference, or just shifting the blame?
Dr Harvey warns that many of the claims on packaging—like ‘ocean bound’ or ‘compostable’—are often little more than marketing spin. ‘It is very difficult for consumers to actually know what is good and what is greenwashing,’ he says.
And the stakes are high. ‘Australia is drowning in plastic and other waste, and currently there is no realistic or plausible solution for how to manage the problem,’ Dr Harvey adds. ‘It is time that supermarkets were required by their regulators to act on waste reduction in a meaningful way.’
While many retailers promote sustainability efforts, consumers are increasingly questioning whether these initiatives represent genuine change or simply marketing tactics.
Have you noticed mixed messages about plastic at your local supermarket? Do you think Coles and Woolies are doing enough to tackle the plastic problem, or is it all just clever marketing? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.
Also read: Clorox fined $8.25m over misleading ‘ocean plastic’ claims on GLAD bags
