Coles plastic bag debacle leaves consumer satisfaction “down

down”
Australian supermarket clientele are outraged Coles Supermarkets have suspended banning plastic
bags in order to give their customers more time to stock up on reusable shopping bags.

The supermarket chain committed to prohibiting thin single-use bags by early July this year, but have
now halted charging customers for thicker reusable plastic bags. Market analyst at stockbroker
Commonwealth Securities (Sydney), James Tao, suggested to Reuters News that Coles was protecting
its public relations.

“It's all a part of lifting their customer satisfaction and getting more customers in the door,” Tao said

However, displeased and furious comments posted by Australian citizens on various social media
platforms this week appear to suggest the exact opposite has taken place. Independently owned
Australian grocery chain, Harris Farm Markets, publicly expressed the company’s disapproval on
Facebook.

“We’re really disappointed,” the company posted. “Giving away re-usable plastic bags is an
environmental disaster. We also call on the Board of Coles to reconsider this decision for the sake of
our planet”.

The supermarket giant also had to use its famous red ‘prices are down’ hand to shield Twitter
backlash.

Mike Carlton, influential Australian media commentator and past co-host of a daily breakfast program
on Sydney radio, tweeted he was finished with Coles.

“Pathetic. That’s the last time I shop there,” he said.

Carlton was joined by angry Coles customer, Kimberly Walker, who tweeted her concern for the
planet.

“Absolutely disgusted with Coles for backflipping on plastic bag ban. #coles #colesfail #plasticbags
what hope has our planet got,” she posted.

Nonetheless Coles is not alone under the spotlight. The public has told told Coles and their customers
to toughen up.

“Show some spine and tell your whining plastic loving customers to suck it up,” she tweeted.

In a less directed attack, Australian politician Jeremy Buckingham posted on both Facebook and
Twitter to rally consumers into action.

“Don’t let them (Coles) get away with it. #banthebag,” he said.

Australia Pacific Campaigner, Zoe Deans, from the Environmental lobby group Greenpeace, predicts
the consequence of Coles’s decision.

"There is absolutely no doubt Coles will be punished for this decision by customers who don't want to
see plastic bags littering their beaches and killing marine life,” she stated for ABC news.
Coles Supermarkets reassured the public its aims were to instead calm the waters.

“We will continue to listen to our customers and our team members on an ongoing basis to assess
when customers have become accustomed to bringing their own bags,” a Coles Spokesperson said to
ABC news.

Read Reuter’s coverage of the story

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-australia-environment-plastics/bag-rage-prompts-backdown-on-
plastic-bag-levy-in-australia-idUSKBN1KM3HY

Learn more about Harris Farm Markets in the grocery war

https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/harris-farm-markets-is-taking-on-coles-and-
woolworths-in-the-90-billion-grocery-war/news-story/3e144dc4413f1390461bd6c5a051bcbb

View the latest Greenpeace Projects

https://www.greenpeace.org.au/

Read what The Conversation propose as solutions

https://theconversation.com/why-coles-plastic-bag-backflip-leaves-us-worse-off-than-before-100891

Read ABC’s coverage of the story

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-01/coles-free-plastic-bags-continue-after-policy-backdown/
10060066