Shoppers are furious about a ‘drastic’ new change at Coles: ‘It’s so awkward’

Shoppers are furious about Coles changing its shopping baskets.

The supermarket recently announced they had replaced their regular supermarket baskets with a different ‘sustainable’ option.

But thousands are complaining that the new baskets – which are made from 100 per cent recycled plastic – are ‘awful to carry, large and clunky’.

The new baskets are bigger, they only have one handle and are made entirely from recycled milk bottles.

‘Coles needs to tell me why they fixed something that’s not broken,’ a woman said. ‘It just knocks against my leg constantly.’ 

Coles has replaced its well loved red handled baskets with a new, eco-friendly model (pictured), but shoppers have complained that it is ‘awful to carry, large and clunky’

Each new Coles basket saves the equivalent of eighteen two litres of milk bottles from landfill.

The new feature was introduced as part of Coles’ mission to become ‘Australia’s most sustainable supermarket’.

But the woman revealed that the basket was extremely uncomfortable and cumbersome.

‘This the most awkward thing to carry,’ she said.

Several other people have also voiced their displeasure at the change. 

‘Hi Coles, just dropping by to say I hate (and that’s a word I don’t often use) your new red baskets,’ one shopper said.

The mum revealed that her bone health issues are exacerbated due to the design of the basket.

‘Seriously just one handle on them? I have to hold it over my arm as a lot of people do, I can’t hold the basket with my hands and fingers due to osteoarthritis,’ she said.

‘Everything in them due to gravity goes to one end, because of that it’s impossible to carry and the basket leans out further and as you are going around the aisles one has to be careful not to knock into anyone or disturb the end displays.’

Many shoppers say they prefer the old basket (pictured) which they believe was easier to carry and more ‘ergonomic’ (stock image)

‘As both a Coles worker and a shopper, I despise the new baskets.’

‘The new design are just awful, did you have anyone in the team look at ergonomics?’

The old baskets were a well loved staple – one shopper even had a picture of it tattooed

‘They’re awful to carry, large, clunky and now the widest part sticks out from your body as you carry it, causing issues maneuvering around the store. WTF were the design team thinking?’

However not everyone thought the complaints were warranted. 

One woman suggested unhappy shoppers ‘use a trolley’ instead.

But many were convinced the push to use trolleys would mean they bought more food than they came for. 

A Coles spokesperson told FEMAIL the reasoning behind the introduction of the new baskets. 

‘Our Sustainability Baskets are Australian-made from 100 per cent recycled milk bottles, saving the equivalent of eighteen two litres of milk bottles from landfill for each basket made,’ they told Daily Mail Australia.

‘The baskets have undergone rigorous testing and have been largely well received, with some customers describing them as a stronger and more durable option.’

‘Our Sustainability Baskets are an example of our Together to Zero waste ambitions and proof we are committed to working with industry partners to find sustainable solutions and move towards a circular economy.’