'Planet vs Plastic': Woolworths takes another bold step to sustainability

This week the world celebrates Earth Day, and this year’s theme “Planet vs Plastic” challenges all of us to re-evaluate our dependency and plastic usage for the good of the planet.

Woolworths has a vision of zero packaging waste to landfill and has publicly committed to the removal of unnecessary and problematic plastics from its stores.

Over the years, this vision has spurred the retailer to remove multiple single-use plastics like plastic straws, plastic cutlery, plastic cotton bud sticks, plastic lollipop sticks, microbeads and single-use shopping bags from ALL its stores.

Earlier this month, Woolworths took another bold step in their sustainability journey by embarking on a 12-store trial to now also remove barrier bags. 

A barrier bag is the thin transparent plastic bag often used to insert loose fruit and vegetables at the fresh produce aisle and bakery sections. Retailers and customers also often use the barrier bags to separate their home detergents and personal care products from other shopping items. 

Though plastic barrier bags are technically recyclable, they are deemed problematic as they are too thin to be viable for recyclers to recycle. Often these plastic barrier bags are contaminated with food or waste products so either end up littering our communities, rivers and oceans or going to landfill.

Woolworths recognises that the removal of barrier bags from its stores will require a substantial behavioural shift for both its customers and employees.

“We understand the convenience barrier bags offer, so we have been working on viable solutions,” says Feroz Koor, group head of sustainability at Woolworths. “These include responsibly sourced paper bags for loose fruit and vegetables in the trial stores, absorbent drip mats in the fresh flowers area to catch any excess water, and as part of our ongoing packaging improvements, we’ve recently introduced rotisserie chicken packaging that eliminates the need for a plastic barrier bag.”

The insights gleaned from this 12-store trial will inform future trials and facilitate the eventual removal of plastic barrier bags from all Woolworths stores. The elimination of plastic barrier bags from Woolworths stores equates to the removal of 11-million plastic bags on an annual basis from littering our country and waterways or going to landfill.

To address plastic pollution requires a multifaceted approach that includes not only the reduction of single-use plastics, but also the promotion of recyclable packaging and the integration of recycled materials into product design.

In this regard, Woolworths has made significant strides, with 40% of its food packaging incorporating recycled plastic or paper content. Additionally, Woolworths has embraced the use of recycled materials in its product offerings, such as winter puffer jackets and duvets filled with recycled plastic. Furthermore, the retailer is committed to advancing circularity by collaborating closely with packaging suppliers and recyclers to enhance the recyclability of its packaging materials.

A notable example of Woolworths' commitment to circularity is the transition from coloured to colourless HDPE (high-density polyethylene) plastic bottles for its fresh milk packaging, accompanied by colourless PE (polyethylene) plastic caps. This strategic shift not only optimises the quality of recyclate obtained from the recycling stream, but also unlocks opportunities for the creation of a diverse range of next-generation products. Similarly, Woolworths has introduced SA's first recyclable shrink wrap sleeve for its Iced Tea range, ensuring compatibility with existing recycling processes.

Moreover, Woolworths has pioneered efforts to address the challenge of non-recyclable flexible packaging by collaborating with suppliers to develop mono-polymer structures for common FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) products such as coffee, powdered and fresh soups, pet food and snacks, to name a few. This innovative approach has enabled over 230 Woolworths food products to undergo a conversion to fully recyclable packaging, totalling about 450 tonnes of recyclable material.

As we commemorate Earth Day and reflect on our collective responsibility to safeguard the planet, let's embrace sustainable practices, reduce plastic waste and promote circularity. Together, let's re-evaluate our plastic choices and commit to recycling to forge a path towards a more resilient, planet-positive future for generations to come.

This article was sponsored by Woolworths.