To prioritise environment.

Woolworths Group announced its voluntary commitment to eliminate single-use plastic bag use across its entire retail grid, Australia wide. Throughout the next 12 months, all stores within the Woolworths Group from Big W to BWS will ditch their single-use plastic bag offering in favour of more environmentally friendly re-useable plastic bags.

Shortly after the announcement from Woolworths, Coles said it would also phase out plastic bags in stores around the country over the next 12 months.

This pledge to minimise waste and pay responsibility to the environment supports the Palaszczuk Government’s initiative to ban light-weight, single-use plastic shopping bags across Queensland from 1 July, 2018.

 

While a number of states have already banned supply of single-use plastic bags, the NRA welcomes the recent announcement by the Queensland Government to implement a ban by next year, and in particular thanks the work of Minister Steven Miles on the delivery.

The NRA has partnered with the Palaszczuk Government in an initiative to guide Queensland retailers through the State’s impending ban with the launch of an awareness campaign to inform the sector of the impending changes.

The campaign will include state-wide education workshops, as well as the launch of a website to ensure the retail industry is prepared for the transition.