Coles Increases Paper Bag Prices, Sparking Shopper Frustration
The Australian supermarket chain raised the cost of paper bags by 20%, citing rising material and transport expenses.
Coles, an Australian supermarket chain, has increased the price of its paper shopping bags from 25 cents to 30 cents, a move that has drawn criticism from some shoppers and employees. The price hike represents a 20% increase on an item that was previously free.
The cost of other bags in Coles' range has also seen an increase, with larger chiller bags rising from $4 to $4.20. These changes follow a previous adjustment in May, when the online flat fee for bags increased from $1.50 to $2.
A Coles spokesperson attributed the price adjustments to increased material and transport costs. "We know value remains important to our customers, and we've worked to keep these increases as low as possible," the spokesperson stated. "Unfortunately, from time to time, prices of individual products may need to increase due to changes in costs such as materials and transport."
The company encourages customers to bring their own reusable bags and to reuse bags whenever possible. The online flat fee for bags remains at $2, regardless of the number of bags required for an order, a price point that matches that of competitor Woolworths.
The phasing out of free single-use plastic bags by major Australian supermarkets began in mid-2018, primarily due to environmental concerns. This led to the introduction of charges for paper and reusable bags.