Australian consumers call for greater action on supermarket plastic packaging

A new survey has found that 62% of Australians believe major supermarket chains Coles and Woolworths are not doing enough to tackle plastic pollution.

The YouGov poll, commissioned by Australian financial services organisation Future Super, surveyed 1,504 people about supermarket packaging, plastic reduction and consumer purchasing preferences.

According to the findings, 72% of respondents believe that at least half of the packaging used in major supermarkets is unnecessary, with similar concerns expressed across the political spectrum.

The survey also found that 38% of participants would be more likely to shop at a supermarket that sets plastic reduction targets and publicly reports its progress. This increased to 45% among respondents aged 18 to 24.

Future Super, together with ethical share trading platform Six and the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS), is calling on Coles and Woolworths to provide greater transparency around their plastic packaging use and introduce packaging requirements for own-brand products.

Woolworths announced a plastic intensity score in August, although Future Super has highlighted that Coles has yet to introduce a comparable measure.

Of those surveyed, 17% believe the two supermarket chains are taking sufficient action to address plastic pollution, while 21% remain unsure.

The findings also suggest that packaging influences purchasing decisions. More than half of respondents (52%) said they would be likely to choose a product based on avoiding excessive plastic packaging.

When purchasing loose products, such as fruit and vegetables, 87% of participants considered the ability to buy only the quantity needed important, including 55% who described it as very important.

The survey highlights consumer concerns about plastic packaging in Australian supermarkets, alongside demand for greater transparency and packaging reduction measures.