Coles has quietly returned free fruit and veg bags to its supermarkets in the ACT after saying its ban on single-use plastic bags had been "challenging" for its customers and its staff.
The groceries giant has been using the ACT as a test case, banning single-use plastic bags for fresh produce in all of its 12 local supermarkets from September last year.
Customers, instead, had to bring their own bags, including reusable mesh bags Coles was selling to fill the gap.
Without any announcement or fanfare by Coles, free fruit and veg bags have returned to Canberra supermarkets in recent weeks - just don't call them plastic bags. According to Coles, they are "compostable bags are made from plant-based corn starch resins".
"Recently Coles trialled the removal of single-use plastic fresh produce bags in ACT supermarkets," a Coles spokesperson said.
"Throughout the Australian-first trial we were impressed by our customers' willingness to use reusable mesh produce bags to purchase and reuse when buying fruit and veggies.
"We also acknowledge that a significant change of this kind was challenging for both our customers and in-store teams. However, we remain committed to working towards appropriate and accessible plastic reduction initiatives for our customers moving forward."
The Coles spokesperson said the ACT trial taught the company that people wanted "more choice and convenience" when it came to shopping bags.
They did not mention that shoppers might also want those produce bags provided for free, as they had done in the past.
"Using these customer insights gained from the trial, single-use fresh produce plastic bags will be replaced with compostable bags," the spokesperson said.
"Made from natural plant starch, these bags can be deposited in your home compost or green bin depending on your council's kerbside collection."
The reusable mesh bags remain in the Coles supermarkets for customers to buy.
In the race to prove which supermarket chain is the greenest, Coles says it hasn't given up trying to reduce plastics.
"Coles remains committed to reducing unnecessary, single-use and problematic plastic packaging and is proactively working with industry partners to find sustainable packaging solutions and move towards a circular economy, as part of our Together to Zero waste ambition," the spokesperson said.
It comes as Woolworths' stores in ACT stop selling reusable plastic shopping bags.
Woolworths ACT general manager Michael Mackenzie said paper bags will continue to be available for those who forget to bring their own.
"But ultimately we want to sell less bags altogether," he said.
Coles has also shifted to cardboard bread tags across Coles Own Brand bread, removing nearly 80 tonnes of plastic. In April last year, it launched Own Brand coffee pods that are certified as home compostable to the Australian standard. And last August, Coles also started a trial of BYO deli containers in eight South Australian stores and two stores in Victoria.
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