In an effort to reduce the amount of material that is wasted through packaging, Coles now allows customers to bring their own containers when purchasing goods from the deli.
Customers in South Australia who do not bring their own containers during the opt-in BYO-container trial will have the option of having their deli goods wrapped and scanned by staff members instead. The trial will take place in eight different sites.
The new experiment will follow its own specific set of guidelines and limitations.
Customers are responsible for bringing in clean and undamaged containers that have a lid that can be securely sealed and are not made of glass or ceramic.
In addition, you are not allowed to bring in deli salads, frozen prawns, barbeque products, hot dinners, or self-serve cheese goods.
Those who are eligible can just hand over their container to a worker at a Coles deli, who will then weigh it and fill it with the necessary quantity of cold cuts or other small foods.
According to Andy Mossop, the general manager of bread, deli, and seafood at Coles, the trial’s focus was on striking a balance between the impact on the environment and the requirements for maintaining food safety.
“As part of our Together to Zero Waste initiative, Coles is constantly exploring for ways to minimise dependency on superfluous packaging, while also providing consumers with environmentally friendly solutions to help them finish their shopping,” he added.