Coles investors demand plastic packaging transparency

Nearly 200 Coles Group investors have issued a members’ statement ahead of the company’s annual general meeting in November, demanding greater transparency regarding plastic packaging use. Supported by the Australian Marine Conservation Society, ethical trading platform SIX, and Future Super, the investors are urging Coles to reduce plastic packaging on own-brand products and publicly report on its progress.

The pressure follows actions by rival supermarket Woolworths, which recently became the first of Australia’s two largest supermarket chains to publish its plastic intensity score. This metric quantifies the amount of plastic packaging used per product sold. Woolworths reported a score of 10 grams of plastic used per unit sold across its supermarket and Big W stores during the previous financial year.

Investors and environmental advocates argue that the lack of reporting from Coles poses a risk of inaction. Both Coles and Woolworths are significant players in Australia’s $148 billion supermarket industry and have been identified as major contributors to litter in locations such as Sydney Harbour.