The Coles Group has released its full sustainability strategy announcing the complete removal of single-use plastics from its shelves and closing the loop by using recycled content on its product packaging.
From tomorrow, the aisles of more than 2500 Coles supermarkets, Express and Liquor stores around Australia will now have single-use plastics off the shelves, diverting 1.5 million kilograms worth of single-use plastic from landfill every year.
The Coles Group Sustainability Strategy is aligned with and supports the achievement of nine of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including responsible consumption and production, climate action and economic growth.
‘Together to Zero’ was first unveiled in March when Coles announced emissions targets, including committing to 100 per cent renewable energy by the end of 2025, and addresses the Group’s ambition to reduce its impact on the environment, outlining its aspiration towards zero emissions, zero waste and zero hunger.
‘Better Together’ recognises that when working together, the Coles Group team, suppliers and customers can make a real difference to the communities in which they work and live. It sets out the framework to create a team, community, sourcing and farming that is better together.
Coles group CEO Steven Cain said Coles’ purpose to sustainably feed all Australians to help them lead healthier, happier lives is aligned with and supports the achievement of the UN SDGs.
“Under our important new sustainability pillars, we have set our aspirations and the pathway to meet the many challenges and opportunities we face,” explains Cain.
“Our strategy is focused on acting together now for generations of Australians ahead. We understand our responsibility to minimise our environmental footprint, and to show leadership in protecting our planet and climate.
“We have identified powerful initiatives across how we use energy, how we can move towards a circular economy, as well as how we will continue to improve our sustainable sourcing.”
Under the Together to Zero pillar, the Group is committed to:
- Closing the loop by using recycled content in product packaging to create an end-market for recycled materials, particularly plastic packaging;
- A circular economy and optimising resources by supporting and creating end-markets to use recovered materials, including those collected through initiatives such as REDcycle;
- Climate action, supporting the goals of the Paris Agreement and the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures;
- Achieving net zero emissions by 2050, sourcing 100 per cent renewable electricity by the end of 2025 and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from its value chain;
- Delivering 85 per cent of waste from landfill by 2025; and
- Continuing its focus on reducing food waste where the first choice for unsold, edible food is to donate it to food rescue organisations, such as SecondBite and Foodbank.
The Group will also drive the deliver of the 2025 National Packaging Targets, ensuring that all Coles Brand packaging will be 100 per cent recyclable, reusable or compostable; will be an average of 50 per cent recycled content; will carry the Australasian Recycling Label; and that they phase out problematic and unnecessary single-use plastics packaging; all of this by 2025 or earlier.
“We are proud that we were the first Australian retailer to announce a power purchase agreement and that the first of these solar farms in Coowa, NSW has become fully operational,” says Cain.
“We have landmark renewable electricity agreements with Lal Lal Windfarms, CleanCo, Engie and Neoen. These combined renewable energy agreements provide enough to power more than 750 average sized supermarkets.”
Federal minister for the Environment Sussan Ley congratulated Coles on delivering its sustainability strategy, which includes the removal of single-use plastic tableware products.
“It is pleasing to see this initiative from Coles, which reflects the Morrison government’s commitments to increase plastic recycling, find alternatives to unnecessary plastics, and reduce the impact of plastic on the environment,” Ley continues.
“We welcome Coles’ leadership, providing their customers alternatives to single-use plastic tableware products, which will result in an annual diversion of 1.5 million kilograms of single-use plastic from landfill.”
For more details on the Coles Group's new strategy, visit the Coles website here.
