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Coles has announced it will continue handing out reusable plastic bags "indefinitely" in stores to allow customers more time to readjust to the plastic bag ban.
The reusable bags are thicker than the single-use bags Coles pledged to phase out on July 1, and normally cost shoppers 15 cents each.
We asked our audience on Facebook Messenger how they felt about the decision and this is what they said:
Some appreciated Coles wanting to look after customers
"Good idea. I keep forgetting to take mine into the store, although I have heaps in the car and at home. Thanks Coles." — Jen H
"Great! Looking after their valuable customers." — Lynette S
"Great idea. I never thought doing away with the bags was a good idea in the first place." — Jean G
"Good idea as a transition. I myself have done this … bought more than expected or mixed goods. You don't want a hot chook in same bag as dairy from fridge!" — Dale W
"It's good. I think the ban is ineffective. Since it has been introduced, I've just been buying plastic bin liners as I don't have any to reuse." — Laura R
And others said it was fair the supermarket should have to wear the extra cost
"I think it is good of supermarkets to wear that cost to assist their customers' transition." — Daniel M
"It is a good decision as many often forget to bring bags altogether and for an already expensive shopping spree, the bags will add on an unneeded cost." — Dylan B
But others said it was counterproductive, and would do more harm than good
"Absolutely ridiculous. This is a worse outcome than keeping single-use bags. Misses the point entirely!" — Rosie L
"It's very nice of them, but ultimately defeats the purpose of the initiative." — Claire T
"I think complimentary bags shouldn't be free indefinitely. Otherwise it stops being complimentary and just another part of the plastic waste again." — Sadman S
"So now instead of flimsy free plastic, we've got robust free plastic? It's probably going to end up in exactly the same places as the other, lighter bags (landfill and waterways)." — Hannah F
Some blamed customers for complaining
"People love to complain, [but] it's usually the vocal minority. Most people don't have an issue with this." — Pat S
"The transition time given to consumers was sufficient and although it is a significant habitual change, too bad." — Andrew F
"Change isn't easy. But this is an important change, critical for the future of our environment. Convenient or not, no more plastic." — Alex G
"This is atrocious. I feel they're only making this decision to avoid criticism from customers, but it doesn't help the issue." — Julia G
But others said Coles should have stood firm
"Saying the customers need more 'time' to get used to this is a bit of a cop-out in my opinion. What is their management doing?" — Tomas B
"Very weak. Obviously there was going to be opposition, people are lazy and don't like change. I don't see how they couldn't have known that in advance, and I believe they should have stayed firm." — Jeremy S
"They're attempting to be seen as the 'friendlier' of the supermarket chains, but it's worthless. People will continue to take advantage of this and refuse to bring bags until the free bags are gone. It only takes one or two times having to buy bags for people to remember to bring them in. Babying them is helping no-one." — Gregory A
Those from states that banned the bag long ago said it was weak
"Get over it people. We have been single-use plastic bag-free for years in SA." — Liz H
"The whinging and hype about this is like nothing I have ever seen. Darwin stopped plastic bags over two years ago — many EU countries like England over 10 years ago. Get over it and move on. There are more pressing issues to worry about than this." — Katina F
"Plastic bag bans worked fine in the ACT. If I forget, I either carry stuff in the trolley to my car, or pony up and pay the 30c." — Laura J
A few said it was enough to make them shop elsewhere
"I will be voting with my feet and shopping elsewhere. This is reprehensible. Replacing plastic with other plastic is ludicrous." — Bruce C
"I won't be shopping at Coles until they grow a spine and start thinking about their responsibility to the planet and to shoppers. I'm so disappointed in this backflip." — Yasmine L
And some offered alternative ideas
"If a customer is short a bag or two, they will buy a 15c bag. Or why not offer a cardboard box that come with all their stock?" — Kiralee R
"Charge 5c per bag rather than giving them away." — Ryan W
"At least give out recyclable plastic or paper bags. People will treat the 'reusable' bags in the exact same way they did the 'single-use' bags that have been discontinued. — Bryce T
"I get it but maybe they could further encourage people with their own bags by offering flybuys points for bringing their own, as Woolworths are doing." — Helen O
"I think that they should be covering the cost of the more expensive bags instead of putting it on the consumer. However, they are showing complete disregard for the environment (as are other companies). Why not provide bags made from other materials for free? Why not paper or hemp?" — Annie M
Topics: environment, environmental-impact, environmental-management, environmental-policy, business-economics-and-finance, australia
First posted