Coles bags paper bread bag tags for Own Brand bread

Coles has announced that it will be replacing the plastic bread tags on its Coles Own Brand bread with a recyclable paper-based alternative.

Initially the tags will be replaced on a trial basis but when fully rolled out the change will result in 79 tonnes of plastic being kept out of landfill. The trial began this June, with the complete rollout planned for 2022.

The paper-based tags should be functionally identical but can be recycled in the regular recycling bin, provided they are packaged in a way that ensures they are not lost.

Coles’ ambition is to be Australia’s most sustainable supermarket, as most of its customers say that reducing the amount of waste going to landfill is highly important to them¹. Coles is also looking to use recycled material in the packaging of its other bakery items.

The change in bakery packaging accompanies other alterations that Coles is making to its range. It has stopped using soaker pads in its meat trays and no longer sells various single-use plastic tableware items, thus reducing the amount of waste that ends up in landfill. Coles has committed to a study of a potential recycling plant in Victoria that would turn old plastic into usable oil and has teamed up with REDcycle to collect soft plastics that are used in furniture, children’s play equipment, roads and carparks.

¹ - Coles Circle survey of 9000 customers in June 2021

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