Overview
- In 73% of store visits, investigators found loose fruit and vegetables cost more than prepackaged equivalents, with oranges averaging $4.24/kg loose versus $2.49/kg packaged.
- The report ranked Aldi worst for unnecessary packaging and poor transparency, with overall scores: Woolworths 38%, Metcash 26%, Coles 19% and Aldi 14%.
- Mystery online orders showed extra plastic persisted, including 10 of 12 Coles deliveries using produce bags even when customers chose loose items.
- New South Wales set a policy to phase out more single-use plastics by 2030, including fruit and vegetable stickers and fish-shaped sauce containers.
- Retailers defended packaging for hygiene and shelf life, with Woolworths citing the removal of more than 20,000 tonnes of virgin plastic from own-brand packaging since 2018.