SINGLE-use plastic produce bags will be removed from all 12 of Coles’ Canberra supermarkets in an Australian-first trial.

The bags will be banned from September 14 in an attempt to encourage customers to bring in reusable options for their fruit and veggies.

Depending on the success of the trial, the ban could be expanded to all Coles supermarkets throughout the country.

From August 31 until  September 14, ACT customers who spend $5 in Coles on fruit and veggies will receive a free three-pack of reusable mesh fresh produce bags – made with 90 per cent recycled materials – in preparation for single-use plastic bags being removed from stores. 

From then on it’ll be up to Canberrans to bring their own reusable bags.

Coles Chief Operations and Sustainability Officer Matt Swindells said the initiative is expected to reduce about 11 tonnes of plastic each year. 

“This will be the first time a major Australian supermarket will trial a completely reusable method of helping customers purchase their fresh fruit and veggies,” said Swindells.

“We will be looking closely at how our ACT customers respond. These insights will inform our consideration for potentially rolling this out to our customers nationally.”

The move follows the ACT government’s Plastic Reduction Act 2021 which in July banned the sale or supply of single-use plastic cutlery, plastic beverage stirrers and expanded polystyrene takeaway food and beverage containers.

The act also signposted an eventual phase out of fruit and veggie bags, but as of yet no specific date has been set in stone.

Single-use plastics banned from July