‘Want to say thank you’: Coles to reward shoppers by giving away free plastic bags
Drought Minister David Littleproud wants shoppers to boycott Coles supermarkets. Photo: AAP
Coles shoppers will be able to get their hands on free 15-cent reusable bags, after the supermarket giant back-pedalled on a decision to charge customers who fail to bring their own carry bags.
Coles announced it will give away so-called “better bags” – made from 80 per cent recycled material – to shoppers in Victoria, NSW, Queensland and Western Australia until Sunday night.
Chief operating officer Greg Davis said shoppers had been “fantastic” since single-use plastic bags were banned on July 1.
“We’re really grateful for the way our customers have responded and this is a small way we can say ‘thank you’ and help them with the transition,” Mr Davis said.
This comes after rival supermarket Woolworths decided it would hand out free 15-cent plastic bags for 10 days, following customer backlash to the ban it initiated on June 20.
Coles’ Mr Davis acknowledged, “It can be difficult to get into the routine of bringing your own bags to the supermarket or know exactly how many you may need for your entire shop”.
That’s why Coles had reversed its decision and “invested in extra customer service during this period”, he said.
From Monday, shoppers at both retail chains will have to bring their own bags or pay at least 15 cents for a supermarket-branded reusable bag.
Coles and Woolworths are estimated to be set to make about $71 million in gross profit from bag sales, according to Queensland University of Technology retail expert Dr Gary Mortimer.
Among the bags that can be bought at Coles are some designed by school children that cost at least $1. Ten per cent of proceeds of their sales were donated to charities, the chain said.
