Coles shoppers slam hot cross buns packaged in single use plastic

Coles shoppers threaten to boycott the supermarket over ‘super depressing’ decision about its hot cross buns

  • Shoppers have slammed the supermarket for ‘overusing’ plastic
  • Melbourne woman Caroline Lambert shared photo of ‘loose fruit hot cross buns’ 
  • More than 15,000 people are boycotting Australia’s second largest supermarket
  • Coles said that the packaging is recyclable and keeps the buns fresh

Coles shoppers have threatened to boycott the supermarket over the sale of hot cross buns individually wrapped in plastic.  

Melbourne woman Caroline Lambert shared a picture of ‘loose fruit hot cross buns’ in separate plastic boxes on Wednesday.

‘This plastic-fest was spotted in Coles supermarket in Melbourne Central this morning. Super depressing Coles,’ Ms Lambert captioned the post. 

‘Your customers want you to do better with your environmental responsibilities.’

In response, more than 15,000 shoppers have joined the ‘Leave It On The Shelf’ campaign, pledging to boycott Coles and other supermarkets over concerns about the use of plastic. 

Melbourne woman Caroline Lambert shared a picture of ‘loose fruit hot cross buns’ in individual plastic packaging to Instagram on Wednesday, prompting outrage from environmentally-conscious shoppers online

Normally, Coles hot cross buns are only sold in packs of six and wrapped in plastic bags

Normally, Coles hot cross buns are only sold in packs of six and wrapped in plastic bags

After seeing Ms Lambert’s post, low-carbon charity 1 Million Women announced it was relaunching the anti-plastic campaign on Saturday. 

‘We’re bringing back our Leave It On The Shelf campaign. We’re all pledging to leave plastic packaged fruit and veg on the shelf to show supermarkets that this sort of thing is unacceptable!’ the charity wrote on Facebook. 

‘Maybe we need to include hot cross buns!’  

In addition to signing the pledge, many frustrated shoppers have slammed Coles on social media. 

‘I’ve shopped at Coles for 35 years but this is driving me away,’ one woman wrote on the Coles Facebook page. 

‘It might take more effort but I will abandon Coles and Woollies if you don’t lift your game. Shame on you.’ 

Another woman wrote: ‘Pretty disappointed at Coles for this overuse of single use plastic! How ridiculous!’ 

After one woman accused Coles of ‘over-packaging’ on Twitter, the supermarket said it was ‘making every effort minimise packaging as much as possible’. 

More than than 15,000 outraged shoppers have joined the 'Leave It On The Shelf' campaign, pledging to boycott Coles and other supermarkets that overuse plastic

More than than 15,000 outraged shoppers have joined the ‘Leave It On The Shelf’ campaign, pledging to boycott Coles and other supermarkets that overuse plastic

In addition to signing the pledge, many frustrated shoppers have slammed Coles on social media. One woman said she was being 'driven away' from Coles while another said she was 'disappointed' in Australia's second largest supermarket chain

In addition to signing the pledge, many frustrated shoppers have slammed Coles on social media. One woman said she was being ‘driven away’ from Coles while another said she was ‘disappointed’ in Australia’s second largest supermarket chain 

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, a Coles spokeswoman said: ‘We have placed the single buns in the recyclable packaging so that we can give customers the option of buying a single hot cross bun. 

‘The recyclable packaging keeps them fresh in stores where we don’t have single item display units where customers can pick them up using tongs.’

‘The packaging is recyclable in kerbside recycling bins. While this is not how our hot cross buns are generally packaged, to offer convenience a small number of stores have packed buns in this way. 

‘We are constantly reviewing our packaging to make it more environmentally friendly.’ 

While many shoppers have slammed the decision to individually package hot cross buns, others have welcomed it. 

‘Convenient for people like me who won’t buy and eat a packet of six,’ one woman wrote on Facebook.

Meanwhile, a mother wrote: ‘Great idea Coles. They won’t get squashed in mine and my kids lunch bags.’  

After one woman accused Coles of 'over-packaging' on Twitter, the supermarket said it was 'making every effort minimise packaging as much as possible'

After one woman accused Coles of ‘over-packaging’ on Twitter, the supermarket said it was ‘making every effort minimise packaging as much as possible’

 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk