Coles, Woolworths, Aldi and IGA criticised for excessive packaging
For the past three years, volunteers have surveyed supermarkets for annual surveys of the four largest supermarket groups – Coles, Woolworths, Aldi and Metcash (which owns the IGA, Foodland, Supa Valu and Campbells brands) – to measure plastic problems.
Unpackaged 2025 The report, prepared by AMCS and Boomerang Alliance and published on Tuesday, shows Aldi received the lowest score for its lack of transparency about its use of unnecessary single-use plastic packaging and its increase or reduction, followed by Coles, Metcash and Woolworths respectively.
Consumers are paying more because they’re trying to avoid plastic packaging they don’t want at all.Credit: Australian Marine Conservation Society/Stephen Kiprillis
Consumers are paying more because they are trying to avoid plastic. In 73 percent of visits to each of the surveyed supermarkets, buying unpackaged items cost more than their plastic-wrapped equivalents.
For example, at Aldi, light brown onions are $3.49 per pound, while packaged brown onions are $2.99 per pound.
AMCS found that more than 20 percent of packaged products available at Aldi are not alternatives to loose items. The rate was 12 per cent at Woolworths and 4 per cent at Coles.
Oranges, for example, average $4.24 per kilogram loose, compared to $2.49 per kilogram pre-packaged, program manager Tara Jones said.
“People want to buy their food without a bin full of plastic on the weekend.”
One of the most hated items in the fresh food aisle is plastic fruit stickers. every year 110 tonnes of fruit stickers peeled from fruits and vegetablesIt ends up in landfill or ends up in waterways and manure.
Boomerang Alliance director Jeff Angel said 140,000 tonnes of plastic entered the Australian environment every year.
Photos taken by volunteers show shoppers can save $1.50 by purchasing two pounds of red potatoes wrapped in plastic compared to loose potatoes.Credit: Graphic: Stephen Kiprillis
“Research shows us that the more plastic is produced, the more plastic pollutes our environment,” he said.
“Packaging now accounts for 58 per cent of litter collected by Clean Up Australia volunteers, with most of this coming from supermarket shelves.”
A Woolworths spokesman said the company was “proud of the work we do and the success we achieve with the packaging we control”.
“Since 2018, we have eliminated more than 20,000 tonnes of virgin plastic from our Own Brand packaging and achieved an average of 52 percent recycled content in packaging, meeting the National Packaging Target set by the federal government,” he said.
“The majority of our fruit and vegetable range is sold loose. However, we also sell some packaged products to offer bulk products that are easier to transport or to extend shelf life. When it comes to bulk fruit or vegetable packs, we can often sell in larger quantities, ensuring a lower price per kilo.”
Processed cheese, with each slice individually wrapped, has been cited as a bad example of plastic waste.Credit: Bianca Hall
The AMCS report also targeted online shopping. Volunteers placed 12 delivery orders each at Coles and Woolworths (the two major supermarkets were those that consistently offered online orders).
The report found that 10 out of 12 Coles online orders included produce bags, even if shoppers chose loose items; this included an example where a single garlic bulb was found in a produce bag.
Woolworths fared better.
A spokesperson for Coles said the company was committed to “not only reducing but eliminating unnecessary plastic in our stores and online, and also making it easier for customers to recycle packaging wherever possible”.
“We also recognize the vital role packaging plays in providing convenience, protecting fresh produce during transport, maintaining food safety and hygiene, extending shelf life and ultimately helping to reduce food waste.”
An Aldi spokesperson said the company will release its latest sustainability report within the next few weeks.
“Making our packaging more sustainable is important to us and we are working closely with our suppliers to improve the circularity of our packaging in Australia,” he said.
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“The report will show that by the end of 2024, 87.1 per cent of Aldi’s private label packaging will now be recyclable, reusable or compostable, reflecting our commitment to minimizing waste across the entire supply chain.”
A Metcash spokesperson said the company “continues to work closely with suppliers and independent retailers across our network to phase out and reduce problematic plastic packaging materials.”
“When it comes to fresh produce, the majority of IGA stores source directly from local producers. However, we work closely with independent retailers, our suppliers and packaging partners to expand free choice, minimize single-use plastics and create solutions that reduce food waste and emissions without compromising on safety.”
On Sunday the NSW government announced it would phase out single-use plastics, including fruit and vegetable stickers and fish-shaped soy sauce containers, by 2030.
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