Coles announced a three-year partnership with Planet Ark in June 2023. The partnership continues to see the two organisations work together on a range of waste reduction and recycling initiatives. Coles has also been a Major Sponsor of Planet Ark’s National Recycling week since 2022.
By committing to the entire Coles Group achieving their 100% renewable electricity target by June 2025, pioneering initiatives to redesign packaging, and championing the Australasian Recycling Label, Coles has established itself as a leader in driving positive environmental transformation. The partnership with Planet Ark will help to amplify positive environmental impact throughout Australia as well as bring about lasting positive change for Coles’ customers and our shared environment.
Reducing Waste
Reducing food waste and unnecessary packaging is important to Coles’ customers. By working with industry partners, suppliers and government, Coles aims to increase food security, reduce waste and conserve valuable resources.
During the first year of the partnership, Planet Ark worked with Coles on a range of social media campaigns to target reducing food waste, including sharing tips and tricks to manage food waste in the home. This included the release of a fridge checklist to help Coles’ customers keep track of what’s in their fridge and ultimately waste less food.
Planet Ark is also pleased to have supported some of Coles’ recent packaging changes that avoid plastic waste and provide customers with a recyclable alternative. This includes the launch of recyclable paper packaging in the fresh produce section for a select range of mandarins and potatoes.
Coles continues to support progress towards Australia’s National Packaging Targets and has successfully added the Australasian Recycle Label (ARL) to the artwork of 100% of its Own Brand products (1). The ARL provides Australians with easy-to-understand recycling information that helps to remove confusion at the recycling bin, save time for users and reduce the amount of waste going to landfill.
In November 2023, Coles won the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) Industry Education Award for its Supplier Packaging Enablement Program. The program is designed to share knowledge and assist Coles Own Brand suppliers to select more sustainable packaging.
Coles and National Recycling Week
Coles is a Major Sponsor of Planet Ark’s National Recycling Week, which asks Australians to ‘Join the Cycle’ and work towards a circular economy. Together with Coles, Planet Ark hopes to educate and provide guidance to encourage Australians to recycle right and keep valuable resources in circulation and out of landfill.
Learn more about Coles’ sustainability ambitions and initiatives.
