Most Australians Say Supermarkets Fail on Plastic
A YouGov survey finds 62 per cent of Australians believe Coles and Woolworths are not addressing plastic pollution as packaging reforms stall.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Consumer Goods
Live Poll
Do you think Coles and Woolworths are doing enough to reduce plastic packaging?
A YouGov survey of 1,504 Australian voters found 62 per cent believe Coles and Woolworths are failing to address plastic pollution, with only 17 per cent saying the supermarkets are doing enough. The findings come as the Federal Government has put packaging reforms on hold citing cost-of-living pressures.
Why it matters
The polling suggests consumer sentiment favours supermarkets that set and report plastic reduction targets, a pressure point for retailers while federal reform is paused. With around 1.2 million tonnes of plastic packaging discarded in Australia each year, the gap between public expectations and corporate disclosure is now a visible issue.
Woolworths disclosed its plastic intensity score for the first time in August 2026, while Coles has not disclosed its score. Around 1.2 million tonnes of plastic packaging are discarded in Australia each year, and 52 per cent of respondents say they are likely to choose products with less plastic packaging.
The players
YouGov
YouGov is an international research data and analytics group known for public opinion polling conducted across many countries.
Coles
Coles is one of Australia's two largest supermarket chains, operating a major national grocery and retail network.
Woolworths
Woolworths is Australia's largest supermarket operator, and it is the first of the two major chains to disclose its plastic intensity score.
The details
The survey was commissioned as part of the 'Big business, stop fuelling plastic pollution' campaign by SIX, the Australian Marine Conservation Society and Future Super. The campaign calls on Coles and Woolworths to disclose plastic use, establish public reduction targets and report on progress annually.
Timeline
August 2026: Woolworths disclosed its plastic intensity score for the first time.
2 November 2026: YouGov polling on supermarket plastic pollution was published.
Market Landscape
With federal packaging reforms paused, the two dominant supermarket chains face public pressure to set their own plastic reduction targets. Woolworths' first disclosure of a plastic intensity score places it ahead of Coles on transparency for now.
Shoppers who prefer less plastic packaging can compare product packaging and check whether their supermarket has published a plastic reduction target. Fifty-two per cent of respondents say they are likely to choose products with less plastic packaging, so these choices directly affect what appears on shelves.
The takeaway
The survey indicates that 38 per cent of Australians would be more inclined to shop at a supermarket that sets plastic reduction targets and publicly reports progress. Shoppers can prioritise products with less packaging and watch for annual plastic disclosures from their supermarket.
Further reading
For more on how supermarket packaging decisions reach shoppers, see the Consumer Goods section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Food & Beverage.
Live Poll
Do you think Coles and Woolworths are doing enough to reduce plastic packaging?
