Woolworths is set to cut around 50,000 kilograms of virgin plastic annually by switching its Own Brand sliced bread bags to a composition that includes 30% recycled plastic. The new low-density polyethylene (LDPE) food-grade bags, produced by global packaging leader Amcor, were introduced in June and are now being used across six bread products.
By adopting advanced recycling technology through a mass balance approach, Woolworths has been able to reduce tens of thousands of tonnes of virgin plastic in its supply chain. The updated bags are available for the following lines: Soft White Sandwich, Soft Wholemeal Sandwich, Soft White Toast, High Fibre White Sandwich, Soft Multigrain Sandwich, and High Fibre Multigrain Sandwich.
This move forms part of Woolworths’ broader sustainability efforts, which over the past five years have significantly lowered plastic usage. Notable initiatives include kerbside recyclable paper-based Macro brand pouches replacing soft plastics, cutting 90 tonnes of plastic per year; paper-based meat trays that use 75% less plastic; recyclable paper-based packaging for grapes and cocktail truss tomatoes, removing 20 and 30 tonnes of plastic respectively; and in-store bakery clam shells and lids made from 80% recycled plastic, now fully recyclable.
Bryan McKay, Woolworths Head of Packaging Sustainability, said, “We understand our customers want us to remove and reduce plastic and improve recycling opportunities from the products we sell, so we’re firmly focused on innovative ways to improve packaging and offer more sustainable options wherever we can. Working with Amcor and incorporating recycled content into our bread bags is another significant step towards our goal of reducing virgin plastic and championing a more circular economy. At the same time, reducing waste across the value chain is a shared challenge. We will continue to innovate with our Own Brand product range in terms of reducing plastics, increasing recycled content and improving recyclability, while strongly advocating for harmonisation of plastics in packaging regulation to progress sustainable packaging outcomes.”
Gerald Rebitzer, Vice-President of Sustainability Operations & Advocacy for Amcor Europe & Asia-Pacific, added, “We’re proud to work in partnership with Woolworths on its Own Brand product range to deliver more sustainable packaging that supports a circular economy. These bread bags are recycle ready and include 30% recycled content, a clear example of how we can help keep plastics in use and reduce waste without compromising quality or performance. We believe all packaging can be designed to be circular and that packaging waste can be eliminated. Circularity is one of the areas where we can make the greatest positive impact, and this innovation shows how collaboration across the value chain with partners like Woolworths can turn that ambition into reality.”
Under a pilot trial, the new bread bags can also be returned for recycling at 500 Woolworths stores in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, and the Australian Capital Territory where soft plastics collection is available.