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« on: August 18, 2023, 07:48:36 am »Message ID: 1376624
Shoppers at Woolworths will soon notice a package makeover in their purchases.
Following through with its sustainability plan, the supermarket chain will be using recycled food packaging from deposited plastics and bottles.
In recent years, Woolworths put forth its 2025 sustainability plan, which commits the company to minimising its production of single-use plastics.
It aims to reduce its use of new plastics to 50 per cent by 2024, and then ensure that its brand packaging is made out of at least 60 per cent recycled material by 2025.
The company has partnered with Pact Group, an Australia-based company specialising in sustainable packaging solutions, to meet their goals. The two will begin with milk, meat, and beverage products under the Woolworths brand.
Pact has various plastic recycling facilities located across the country. We can expect the changes to be nationwide, instead of just a few select Woolworths supermarkets.
The companies aim to replace 18,000 tonnes of new plastics with recycled packaging yearly.
The changes will be introduced gradually. As much as the world could benefit from completely dropping plastics, the supermarket claims there is still a need for them.
According to Rob McCartney, Woolworths’ point person for its sustainability arm ‘Woolworths 360’: ‘We’re working hard to remove plastic from packaging like our bakery trays. However, it can be necessary to protect quality and food safety in some products — which is why replacing it with recycled plastic is the next best thing.’
Woolworths and Pact said their partnership is a ‘multimillion-dollar investment in local recycling and manufacturing capacity,’ but chose not to disclose the exact value.
Last year, Woolworths also backed Samsara, an Australian plastic recycling startup. The group uses an enzyme technology that disintegrates and recycles plastics.
Previously, the retailer has also pledged to phase out its 15-cent reusable plastic bags by next year.
Consumer groups such as the Australian Retailers Association have been doubling down the pressure on Australian retailers and manufacturers. They have also been calling for a national plan by the federal government to eliminate single-use plastics.
While there are notable initiatives nationwide, these vary for each state. There is no singular approach or policy to the use of anything plastic.
Chief Executive Paul Zahra said: ‘Retailers understand the important role they have to play in addressing plastic pollution, but the lack of a national approach is making the phase-out of single-use plastics more complex and more costly than necessary and is undermining the effectiveness of the change.’
We here at SDC welcome this development and hope to see more of these changes from other Aussie companies.
Are you looking forward to the new packaging from Woolworths? Have you adopted eco-friendly practices in your household? We’d love to know through the comments!
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