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FROM PAGE 3 the most vulnerable families in Australia Coles Chief Sustainability, Property and
who are faced with food insecurity." Export Officer Thinus Keeve said, adding

offered singleuse plastic bags — a move For ALDI Australia, how it conducts that sustainability covers all aspects of
estimated to have saved 7.7 billion single» business is equally important as what it the business.

use plastic bags from being created. offers its customers, it says. Mr Keeve takes Retail World through

"ALD|’s commitments to reducing “We've noticed that many shoppers “just some of the things’ the business is

plastic and packaging guide our are now more passionate than ever doing when it comes to sustainability.
actions to eliminate at least a quarter about their dietary choices, so we ‘We value diversity and inclusion, and
of all plastic packaging by 2025,’ the regularly adapt our range to suit these we’re Australia's largest private sector
retailer said. ‘To meet our commitments, preferences,’ the retailer said. employer of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
we’ve swapped out single-use plastic “From more and more organic, natural |sIanders," he said.

tableware, plastic straws and cotton and vegan options in our everyday “Our community partnerships support
buds. By no longer selling single-use range, to the continued popularity of our Australians in need, including through
plastic tableware, ALDI has been able to ‘purchase with a purpose special buys’, our long—standing relationship with
save 322 tonnes of plastic from landfill. our customers continue to demonstrate SecondBite, which involves unsold,
When it comes to cotton buds, we'll be their dedication to sustainable shopping edible food being collected from our
avoiding over 357 million plastic stems habits. One of our customer favourites supermarkets and distributed to more
from ending up in landfill each year." that continues to grow in popularity than 1000 community food programs.

When it comes to reducing food is our Bare and Eoho Australian Through this partnership alone, we’ve

waste, ALDI notes that every store in made reusable eoo-friendly nappies provided the equivalent of I35 million
Australia is linked to one or more food and swimwear." meals since 2011.

rescue partners. “Our partnership with REDcycIe helps

‘Our partners include O1Harvest, "In IHIIIHIIIIIHII lm our customers recycle soft plastim.

Foodbank and SeoondEite, and in 2020 allllflllcllv Illl Illlll Illlfs REDcycle collection bins are available in
we donated over l0 million meals to IEIIIIIII Ill IIIII CIIKIIM all Coles supermarkets, and since 2011
charity partners and more than 66,000kg IIITKIS II "III Itlll IIIHIY more than 1.4 billion pieces of plastic

of non-food items," the retailer said. III’ IIIII IIH IIIISSIIlII.' have been returned by our customers to

“Over Christmas, we invited food our stores.

rescue organisations to be involved Sustainability ‘comes to life’ at Gales ‘Sustainability really does impact all

in ALD|’s Christmas food rescue drive, Co|es' ambition, to be the most areas of our business."

which saw unsold food overthe holiday sustainable supermarket in Australia, is When it comes to sustainable

period go to those that needed it most. said to be aligned with its purpose to products, Mr Keeve says Coles has

We partnered with 224 organisations, sustainably feed all Australians to help made sustainability more affordable
donating over 200,000 meals to them lead healthier, happier lives. and accessible with products including
Australian oommunities and local “Since we released our new its responsibly sourced seafood, RSPCA
farmers to use for animal feed. corporate strategy nearly two year Approved products and 100 per cent

‘Our partnerships with food rescue ago, we’ve seen sustainability come Australian no added hormone beef.

organisations not only prevents food to life across the organisation and that ‘These products are all popular

from going to landfill, it also allows us to focus continues to grow across our with our customers,’ he said, “as

make a positive oontribution to some of environmental and social initiatives," are our ranges of healthy food and

‘ km V meal solutions. For example, in our
.e - supermarkets we've introduced brands
, ‘ ’ such as Wellness Road and we're proud
' , 7 ' J ’ that Coles brand food products are free
I _ ' \ _ _ from artificial colours and flavours."
‘ . " A V Considering the future of Coles, Mr
_ ' , Keeve says the retailer will continue
7 “‘ IV‘, , c to look for opportunities to reduce
P: r I _ _ any negative impacts and create
- i .1 A I 1, positive change.
' I ‘Y’ ' 4 1 -. ‘This will include our focus on team
- i 5 member health, safety and wellbeing as
" __ ~ » we continue to adopt and adapt to new
,- } 7 ways ofworking,” he said.
‘:7-_ . ‘It will involve more work to minimise
" ., V ’ our environmental footprint and to show
__.\ 7 é_ leadership in protecting our planet and
. , \.___-\‘ ’ Q climate. We recognise that we’re in a
\ ' - - unique position and that we have a
‘*7’ -1,“ Q. responsibility to all our stakeholders to
I . ' ; ensure sustainability remains a priority
! ' for Coles.’'
RETAL won.)