Coles Introduces BYO Container Trial In South Australia To Reduce Packaging Waste

A new BYO container trial has just kicked off across several Coles stores in South Australia.

The supermarket giant is encouraging customers to bring in their own containers for deli products in a bid to reduce packaging waste.

Stay up-to-date on the latest news with The SA Briefing - keeping you in the loop with news as it hits

The trial mandates customers bring clean and "intact" containers with a resealable lid.

The one key requirement which has confused some shoppers is that containers cannot be made of glass or ceramic.

But a Coles spokesperson told news.com.au that this was due to the potential risk of glass or ceramic shattering and causing injuries.

Meanwhile, Coles General Manager of bakery, deli and seafood, Andy Mossop said the trial was all about balance.

"As part of our Together to Zero Waste ambition, Coles is always looking for ways to reduce reliance on unnecessary packaging, while giving customers sustainable options to help them complete their shop," he told Nine.

"We are trialling bring-your-own containers at a handful of Coles supermarket delis in South Australia to understand how best to provide this option to customers while continuing to meet stringent food safety standards.

"We will be looking closely at how our South Australian customers respond, and the feedback and insights will inform our consideration for potentially rolling this out to more stores in South Australia, or around Australia," Mossop said.

In the trial, BYO containers cannot be used for deli salads, frozen prawns, BBQ products, hot food, deli-express or self-serve cheese products and platters.

The eight South Australian stores participating in the BYO-container trial include:

• Firle
• Unley
• Bridgewater
• Blackwood
• St Peters
• Burnside
• Mount Barker
• Murray Bridge 

Join Tom Tilley with regular rotating co-hosts Jan Fran, Annika Smethurst and Jamila Rizvi on The Briefing, Monday - Saturday, for the day's headlines and breaking news as well as hot topics and interviews. Available on Listnr.