Angry customers force Woolies to backtrack on plastic bags ban

RHIAN DEUTROM
The Australian

Woolworths has been forced to backtrack on its plan to dump ­single-use plastic bags this month after frustrated customers refuse to pay for plastic bags.

The Herald Sun today reports that Woolworths will hand out free reusable bags for 10 days after it received complaints from customers who refused to pay for bags or did not have enough of their own stored up.

The ban was introduced in stores in Victoria, NSW, Queensland and Western Australia as a way to tackle plastic use, and in just nine days more than 50 million plastic bags were taken out of circulation.

Woolworths supermarkets managing director Claire Peters said the crackdown had not been met with enthusiasm by customers. “ … Some customers have told us that getting into the habit of bringing their own re­usable bags has been a challenge,’’ Ms Peters said.

“While some customers have forgotten their reusable bags altogether, many have done the right thing and brought their own, only to end up one or two reusable bags short.”

In response, Woolworths will hand out reusable bags until July 8 only in the four states where the ban was implemented. 

Supermarket rival Coles will also ban single-use plastic bags across its stores in Victoria, NSW, Queensland and Western Australia from Sunday.