Environmental Policy
Coles is committed to doing business in an environmentally responsible manner as detailed in our Environment PolicyOpens in new window.
Waste and recycling
In FY20, we diverted 79% of the Group’s waste from landfill, compared with 74% diversion in FY19. This improvement primarily resulted from our focus on managing food waste.
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As a food retailer, we love food and do not want it to go to waste. Every Coles supermarket and distribution centre is connected with a food waste solution, something we first achieved at the end of FY19. Our first choice for unsold, edible food is to donate it to food rescue organisations. Following that, we have other food waste solutions including donation to farmers and animal or wildlife services, organics collections and in-store food waste disposal equipment.
We partner with food rescue organisation SecondBite which collects unsold, edible food either directly from our supermarkets or organises for local charities to collect it on its behalf. In addition to collecting and redistributing food from our stores, SecondBite also collects food from our fresh and chilled distribution centres.
We also partner with Foodbank which collects from our grocery distribution centres across Australia.
The Australian Government’s National Food Waste Strategy sets a goal to halve food waste by 2030. We set ourselves a target to halve food waste in supermarkets by 2020. In FY20, across Coles we diverted 65% food waste that would otherwise have gone to landfill.
We work with our Australian suppliers to reduce food waste and increase overall crop yields by using produce, which typically would not be sold in stores, in other products such as Own Brand zucchini noodles, sweet potato noodles, sweet potato chips, and broccoli and cauliflower rice, as well as the Own Brand range of banana-based products.
Our range of I’m Perfect fruit and vegetables celebrates produce that tastes great but may be flawed in appearance. The products are not only excellent value but also help to reduce food waste.
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In conjunction with REDcycle, we offer a soft plastic recycling program in all Coles supermarkets nationally. We were the first major Australian supermarket to roll out the program to all stores.
Customers can recycle plastic bags as well as a wide range of other soft plastic packaging that cannot be recycled through most household kerbside recycling services.
Coles Online customers can give their soft plastics to their customer service agent who will return it for recycling through REDcycle.
Since the REDcycle program began in 2011, Coles has diverted more than one billion pieces (4,300 tonnes) of flexible plastic from landfill across Australia. (as of end of FY20).
Sustainable packaging
We understand our customers want us to reduce packaging and to make it easier for them to recycle. We also know that packaging, including plastic packaging, plays a key role in protecting products during transport, extending product life, keeping food safe and reducing food waste.
Coles is a signatory to the Australian Packaging Covenant and an active member of the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO), tasked with delivering the federal government’s 2025 National Packaging Targets. Our performance against the APCO Packaging Sustainability Framework can be found
hereOpens in new window.
When developing packaging for Own Brand products, including non-food, grocery, chilled and fresh produce, we are aligned with APCO’s Sustainable Packaging Guidelines
We are continuing work to have all Own Brand product packaging recyclable either through kerbside collection or in-store through the REDcycle soft plastics program operating in all Coles supermarkets.
Knowing what packaging is recyclable and how to recycle can be confusing. We are striving to roll out the Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) for Own Brand products sold in Coles supermarkets. The ARL provides customers with information on how and where to recycle different packaging components.
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We are implementing the Australasian Recycling Label (ARL), launched by the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation, PlanetArk and PREP Design, on Coles Own Brand products. The ARL uses a nationally consistent packaging assessment tool to determine the appropriate recycling label for different packaging components.
We are also working to reduce and optimise fresh produce packaging. While some packaging is required for transport, to support product longevity, maintain food safety and reduce food waste, Coles acknowledges there are areas where packaging can be reduced. We are actively working with our fresh produce suppliers to reduce the number of packaging layers, light-weight packaging materials, ensure all packaging is recyclable either at home or through REDcycle bins in store, and in some cases remove packaging.
We will continue to look for other opportunities to include recycled content in Coles Own Brand product packaging. Since 2014, Coles Own Brand still water has been packaged in bottles made of 100 per cent rPET and in FY18 we introduced new heavy-duty reusable carry bags made from 80 per cent recycled content and which are also recyclable in store through REDcycle bins. Our fresh produce bags are made from 30 per cent recycled content and can also be recycled in-store though REDcycle.
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On 1 July 2018, Coles removed single-use plastic shopping bags across all our businesses. The move brought Coles supermarkets, Coles Express outlets and Liquor stores in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia in line with Tasmania, South Australia, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory, where we already complied with legislated bans on single-use bags. Coles introduced a range of reusable bags including an entry level bag made from 80 per cent recycled content, and a range of reusable community bags, designed by Australian school children, that support community organisations.
We have also introduced new fixtures for the ends of some aisles in over 600 stores. The metal ends replace cardboard ends currently supplied by branded product suppliers and are expected to result in a reduction of 3,500 tonnes of cardboard per year.
