Woolworths in South Australia has launched new locally made compostable fruit and vegetable bags in stores statewide to help slash single-use plastic waste.
SA is the first state where Woolworths has introduced compostable fruit and vegetable bags, now available in the fruit and veg departments of all 67 stores across the state.
The switch has the potential to divert up to 70 tonnes of plastic waste from landfill each year, with customers now able to compost their Woolworths fruit and vegetable bags in their council-provided bins for food and garden organics, or in their own household DIY compost.
With around 80 per cent of SA households having access to council-provided organic bins, compostable alternatives offer an effective way to reduce plastic waste. The compostable bags have been made in SA by local manufacturer, Biobag.
Woolworths SA Assistant State Manager, Elisha Moore, said the initiative represents a breakthrough in sustainable shopping for Woolworths customers.
“We’re thrilled to be the first major supermarket in South Australia to roll out compostable fruit and veg bags in all our stores statewide as we work together with our customers to reduce plastic waste and protect the environment.
“South Australia leads the nation in household access to council-provided composting, so it’s a great place to launch sustainable initiatives like these new bags.
“We’d love to see access to composting across the country increase in line with South Australia to create opportunities to offer green compostable alternatives like this more broadly.”
Deputy Premier of South Australia and Environment Minister, Hon. Susan Close, said that SA was the logical choice for Woolworths to launch these certified compostable fruit and vegetable, because all SA metropolitan councils in Adelaide accept food waste in their green bins and so do many regional and country councils.
“No other state in Australia has this level of waste and recycling available to households.”
Woolworths recently trialed the compostable fruit and vegetable bags in a small number of SA stores, receiving positive feedback from customers. More than 75 per cent of those surveyed during the trial said it was important that Woolworths provide compostable bags to customers.
Woolworths also offers reusable nylon fruit and vegetable bags in most of its SA supermarkets, available for purchase in a pack of three.
Through its ongoing work to reduce plastic, Woolworths has removed around 800 tonnes of plastic from produce packaging since 2018. The retailer has committed to making 100 per cent of its own brand packaging recyclable, compostable or reusable by the end of 2023.
In 2018, Woolworths was the first national supermarket to phase out single-use plastic shopping bags and straws across the country, resulting in more than nine billion bags and 280 million straws being taken out of circulation to date.