Source: Dailymail
Coles has announced plans to ditch plastic bread tags in favour of recycled cardboard in a bid to reduce plastic waste in landfills and the ocean.
In response to a customer survey which listed a reduction of plastic waste as the number one concern for retail sustainability, the Australian supermarket has pledged to roll out 100 percent recyclable tags in stores across the country in 2022.
The change will save roughly 223 million pieces – the equivalent of 79 tonnes – of plastic from being dumped into landfill each year.
As well as being sustainable, the new tags are made from a premium paper-based material that keeps wrapping in place just as securely as their predecessors, providing millions of Australians with the quality they are used to.
Coles has confirmed the cardboard bread tags can be recycled in kerbside recycling bins, making it easy for consumers to do their part for the planet.
The supermarket chain has been testing the new packaging in a trial that started in June which currently applies to 254 varieties of Coles own-brand bread.
And the push towards environmentally packaging doesn’t end there.
Coles will also be closing the loop on the packaging of popular in-store bakery products such as cookies, doughnuts and muffins, by committing to making it from 100 percent recycled material before the end of 2022.
This change will apply to 60 million pieces of packaging each year, with the new packaging to be made from recyclable polyethylene terephthalate (PET) that requires less energy to manufacture than the traditional form.
Coles general manager of Bakery, Deli and Seafood Andy Mossop said the moves are a step towards of the goal of becoming Australia’s most sustainable supermarket.
‘We’re listening to our customers who have told us in a recent survey that reducing waste to landfill and plastic packaging was the number one concern when it comes to environmental issues in retail,’ Mr Mossop said.
The news comes weeks after Tip
Top became the first Australian bread producer to replace plastic tags
with recycled cardboard in a remarkable move that has won widespread
praise from consumers.
In a nationwide first, the iconic bread maker rolled out 100 percent recyclable cardboard bag tags across New South Wales and Victoria on August 3.
The switch will remove almost 100 million plastic bread tags from local waste streams over the next 12 months.
What you need to know about Tip Tips new cardboard bread tags
Will the cardboard bread tags keep my bread fresh? There will be no compromise on freshness or taste. The new sustainable bread tags provide the same Tip Top quality that millions of Australians enjoy freshly baked every day and have trusted since 1958.
How are the bread tags recycled? Tip Top cardboard bread tags can be recycled in kerbside recycling bins. The best way to do this is to tuck the tag inside other paper or cardboard products, to give them the best chance of being upcycled into a new product.
Can the tags go in the freezer? Yes the tags have been tested to be as durable as the plastic tags.
Thousands of shoppers have applauded Tip Top for ditching the plastic tags after it was first rolled out in South Australia in November last year.
‘Yes this is great. We should see more of this over the coming years hopefully. Great for the environment,’ one customer wrote.
Another shopper shared her fondest childhood memories of Tip Tip – as she applauded the brand for introducing recyclable tags.
‘Tip Top has been a part of my life since I was a little girl over 30 years now back when the truck used to come past the house and my mum would buy bread and my absolute favourite Tip Top iced finger buns,’ she said.
‘And that tradition continues with four sons of my own and you can imagine the amount of bread I go through. I will continue to support Tip Top. So proud.’
But not everyone was on board with the new change, with someone pointing out the cardboard tags ‘need to be stronger’.
However, many suggested another way to keep bread fresh in its bag.
‘We chuck the bread tags away, twist the top of the bag and put clothes pegs on them. Which work a lot better,’ one man said.
Meanwhile, others revealed they have been collecting the plastic bread tags for charities like Aussie Bread Tags for Wheelchairs.
Recyclers then make a donation to the charity for the bread tags and the proceeds are used to provide wheelchairs for the needy.
‘WHAT! Oh my god, I collect the plastic tags… so they can be melted down to help charities. what are we going to collect for people in need?’ one woman said.
But many insisted there are other ways to collect plastic items – including milk caps and lids from bottled drinks.
