Coles has promised to phase out soft-plastic shopping bags in-store and online by the end of next month. The supermarket chain says its remaining supply of soft-plastic bags will be run down in the coming weeks and it will cease selling them by the end of June. The move to reduce unnecessary packaging at the…

Saskatchewan and Alberta’s governments have intervened in a court challenge of the federal government’s decision to declare single-use plastics as “toxic substances” and ban them by 2025. The challenge was heard in the Federal Court of Canada in Toronto from March 7 to 9, brought by the Responsible Plastic Use Coalition, a group of plastic…

The Boomerang Alliance, an environmental group that represents over 50 environmental and government organisations have criticised Coles new reusable bags made from plastic marine waste as a “not genuinely reusable.” “Coles have missed a golden opportunity to reduce the use of wasteful plastic bags by continuing to sell disposable shopping bags,” said Toby Hutcheon, Campaign…

The single-use carrier bag charge will increase from 5 pence ($0.07) to 10 pence ($0.14) and extend to all businesses in England from May 21, the Government has confirmed. Under the extension, all stores, including corner shops, will have to apply the charge. Previously only businesses with 250 employees or more had to charge per…