THE countdown is on to the abolition of single-use plastic bags in Woolworths and Coles supermarkets.
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Woolworths has started posting in-store reminders to customers to have their own reusable bags ready for when the supermarket eliminates single-use plastic bags nationally from June 20.
Woolworths Morisset store manager Paul Evans said shoppers were already purchasing re-usable plastic bags (15c), calico bags (99c), hessian bags ($3) and chiller bags ($2.49) in preparation.
“We’ve been selling lots of bags,” he said.
Customer service manager Deanne Ashton said the trick for customers was to remember to take the bags with them into the supermarket .
“It helps if you put your reusable bags straight back into the car after you’ve unpacked your groceries,” she said.
Across Australia, the ban will result in the removal of 3.2 billion lightweight plastic bags from circulation each year, general manager of operations for Woolworths in NSW, Michelle White, said.
“At Woolworths we are committed to listening to our customers and also doing the right thing for the environment,” Ms White said.
“We appreciate that it will be a big change for our customers and will do what we can to support them through the transition to make it as smooth and simple as possible.”
Single-use plastic bags have become a huge problem for Australia’s oceans and waterways where they harm marine life. They also don't break down in landfill and require significant resources to manufacture.