Woolies’ customers rage over apples packaged in plastic after bag ban

A Woolworths customer has vented their disappointment after finding apples packaged in a clear plastic tube.

The peeved customers shared a photo on online forum Reddit, showing a stack of apples neatly packaged like tennis balls in plastic just six days after the supermarket giant pulled single-use bags from stores.

“Well done Woolworths for getting rid of those plastic bags,” he wrote.

The post generated mixed reaction from users, many of whom lambasted Woolies for double standards. “The didn’t get rid of plastic bags, they started charging people to waste more plastic,” one commentator wrote.

While some slammed the supermarket for its use of plastic, others suggested the complaints were becoming excessive.

“Honestly, if you were only going to criticise them when they had plastic bags, and then failed to praise their efforts when they got rid of the plastic bags, I doubt they’re going to bother with anymore greener future campaigns,” one user wrote.

A Woolworths spokesperson told Starts at 60 the packaging around the apples was PET plastic, which can be recycled via household curb-side recycling bins.

“While our move to phase out single-use shopping bags nationwide is a big step forward, we know there is much more work to be done to reduce plastic right across our business,” they said.

“We’re committed to removing unnecessary packaging in produce and will be trialing the removal of plastic packaging on a further 80 lines over the next year.”

Despite plans to reduce its use of plastic in stores, customers are continuing to voice their concerns.

Woolworths was called out on Tuesday by another customer who spotted garlic packaged in plastic. Taking to Facebook the customer wrote: “Another ridiculous example of you saying one thing and doing another.”

As of last week, many Woolies shoppers will no longer receive single-use plastic bags — instead consumers will have the choice of bringing their own in, or buying reusable bags ranging from 15 cents to $2. There is also an emergency foldable bag, available for 99 cents, which Woolies will replace for free if damaged.

Read more: Woolworths shuts down proposal to BYO containers for meats

Queensland, Victoria and WA will ban single-use plastic bags from July 1, joining the ACT, the Northern Territory, South Australia and Tasmania who have had bans in place for several years. Although NSW will not have a ban, Coles and Woolworths have undertaken to phase out single-use plastic bags nationally.

Do you think the plastic bag ban is a good idea? Should all supermarkets and stores adopt the ban?