Woolworths reduces plastic packaging for fruits and vegies

Woolworths has introduced a number of initiatives to reduce plastic across a range of fruit and vegetables, including bananas, carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, broccolini, sweet potatoes and organic apples.

The supermarket has moved from plastic clamshell packaging to adhesive tape for bananas, replaced rigid plastic trays with pulp fibre on tomatoes, packaging broccolini in paper bags and reduced plastic film by 30% on carrots and potatoes, thereby removing a further 237 tonnes of plastic packaging in the last year. It has also commenced a trial where it will switch plastic packaging in its Fresh Food Kids range of apples, pears and bananas to easy-to-recycle cardboard boxes.

“Something that was very surprising during COVID was the continued relevance of the environment, with 70% of Australians saying that taking care of the planet and making sustainable choices remained important to them, even at the height of the crisis. This is something that we’re equally passionate about and Woolworths remains as committed as ever to creating a greener future,” said Brad Banducci, CEO of Woolworths Group.

In the past year, Woolworths’ in store RedCycle program has recycled approximately 10,600 shopping trolleys worth of soft plastics. Woolworths has also removed a total of 890 tonnes of plastic from its fruit, vegetables and bakery ranges over the past two years. All stores now have food waste diversion partners in place, with the supermarket diverting 33,000 tonnes of food waste from landfill over the last year, to food relief partners or donated to farmers as feed stock.

The supermarket has also started to offer paper shopping bags, made out of 70% recycled paper.

Image credit: Woolworths