Coles landmark zero-waste store boasts a laundry detergent station and a plastic-free vegetable aisle
- A Melbourne supermarket has become very popular with sustainable shoppers
- The shoppers love the product refill stations which include laundry supplies
- There is also a cereal refill bar and plastic-free vegetable station in store
A new zero-waste Coles supermarket in inner-city Melbourne has a plastic-free vegetable aisle and laundry detergent re-filling station.
The Moonee Ponds store opened in March and sets the benchmark for sustainability within the supermarket chain.
A recent TikTok video showing off the store and its environmentally-friendly features has proven to excite shoppers who are racing to try it out for themselves.
Shoppers are in a frenzy over the zero-waste Coles in inner-city Melbourne with the plastic-free vegetable aisle and laundry detergent re-filling station key highlights
‘The next best thing when the Farmer’s Market is closed,’ the excited shopper wrote alongside a video of the store.
The video began by showing off the zero-waste sign at the front of the supermarket before zoning in on the loose vegetable section.
The vegetables have misters above them to help maintain freshness, a feature shown off in the video by TikTok user Siliplanet.
The next section the shopper showed off had a waste-free cereal station. The cereal is presented in large bins with scoops for shoppers instead.
Then the video showed off the laundry detergent refilling station and soft plastics recycling booth.
A Coles spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia shoppers have shown a keen interest in the flagship store.
The bags available for shoppers are made from recycled products
Cooling plates and misters help to keep the vegetables fresh without plastic
‘Feedback from customers has been overwhelmingly positive as evidenced by the most recent Tik Tok video,’ they said.
‘Coles Moonee Ponds sets a new benchmark for sustainability and innovation.’
Innovative features of the store also include refill stations for body wash, shampoo and conditioner, recycled plastic bags and a huge reduction in plastic packaging.
They also trap the heat from the refrigeration systems to heat the store.
‘The Moonee Ponds store donates leftover edible food to food rescue organisation SecondBite which distributes to local community organisations including Flemington People’s Pantry, Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, Merri Outreach and Open Table. Last year the store donated 4,310kg of edible food which is the equivalent of 8,620 meals,’ the spokesperson said.
‘Coles Moonee Ponds sets a new benchmark for sustainability and innovation.’ The laundry re-filling station is pictured
The cereal refilling station also proved to be a popular feature of the store
The video prompted some TikTok users to ask why all Coles stores aren’t focused on sustainability.
‘Every supermarket should be like this,’ one person said.
‘They will be eventually, this is a great start,’ said another.
Others were skeptical.
‘So they are just taking off the plastic out the back then?’
‘I don’t think it is good timing, especially with Covid – I wouldn’t want someone’s hands all over my vegetables,’ said another.
The TikTok video has been viewed over 450k times since it was uploaded last week.