The Boomerang Alliance and the Australian Marine Conservation Society audit the major supermarkets' plastic packaging use each year.  Our audit is helped by thousands of supporters who act as secret shoppers checking what is happening in their local supermarkets. We use their data in our report.

Our 2024 Supermarket Report has just been released, please see here. The report reveals that, whilst there have been some improvements, our supermarkets are still very slow to change their plastic habits. Plastic-wrapped fruit and vegetables are still cheaper than loose produce 73% of the time. There are too few options for customers to access reusable containers, and there is too much emphasis on recycling of packaging rather than reducing or avoiding it.

We ranked the major supermarkets with Woolworths coming out on top with a ranking of 38%. From our point of view, all supermarkets should be doing a whole lot better and don't compare with the best supermarkets in Europe. As reported above, recycling labels continue to be a problem and often mislead consumers.

The Commonwealth Government has just released its long-awaited proposed Packaging Reform Discussion paper. They recognise that the voluntary arrangements in place for over 25 years have failed. We are nowhere near meeting any recycling or recovery targets. 

The government package proposes three options:

• A continuation of the current (co-regulatory) voluntary arrangements (albeit with strengthened arrangements), 
• mandating requirements that include bans on problem packaging and
•  an EPR (product stewardship) scheme where producers will be responsible for meeting packaging targets
• The Boomerang Alliance supports option 3- Extended producer responsibility. This needs to include mandatory targets for packaging reduction, reuse as well as recycling. This approach should be augmented with bans on problematic packaging and standards that ensure all packaging is recovered in practice.

An example of EPR is the container refund scheme, where the beverage industry is responsible for the collection and recycling of cans and bottles. South Australia has had a scheme for over 40 years but for the rest of Australia, the CRS has tripled recycling and slashed can and bottle litter.

The big omission in the Commonwealth paper is a lack of immediate proposals on soft plastics. Since the collapse of the REDcycle scheme -two years ago-virtually all soft plastics have gone to waste or are being littered. According to CUA Rubbish Report 2023, soft plastics are now the most littered category of plastics in Australia and represent over 34% of all litter collected.

The Boomerang Alliance is calling for an industry-funded product stewardship scheme for soft plastics to be fast-tracked now. This scheme should include both kerbside and in-store soft plastics collection, with a return for recycling.

Thousands of households have been stockpiling their plastics for the last two years and we are calling on the major supermarkets to organise in-store collections now for their customers to return soft plastics that can go straight to recycling.

For more information head to cutthewrap.org.au

The Boomerang Alliance has welcomed proposals by the Tasmanian Government to phase out a range of problem single-use plastics. This means that every State and Territory in Australia has introduced or proposes to introduce bans on problem takeaway plastics.

We are particularly pleased that the Tasmanian Government is proposing to phase out plastic takeaway coffee cups and food containers. It's time that these disposable cups and containers were phased out, with new policies to support reusable alternatives brought in.

Our Choose to Reuse Report identifies strategies on how reusables could be introduced. The first and most obvious option is to switch to reusable cups and containers at major sports and public events. The recent Paris Olympics served takeaway drinks and food to spectators in reusable cups and containers, something that should be replicated here.

And thinking ahead, wouldn't it be great, when the Tasmanian Devils enter the AFL competition in 2028, to have drinks and food served in reusables at all stadiums from game one?

Read our submission here. 

A new plan by the NSW government for more single-use plastic bans, catching up with other states has been released with some welcome actions, but will need improvement in other areas, the Boomerang Alliance believes.

NSW has been slow on these wasteful and polluting items and we also endorse the push towards reusables which are much better on climate grounds and do not cause litter.  However, there are serious problems with the proposal to rely on takeaway cups and food containers being ‘’recyclable’’, as this just doesn’t happen because there is no comprehensive collection system.  The ban on the release of lighter-than-air balloons has been a long time coming and we look forward to the disappearance of them in the oceans and harming marine life.  Phasing out (by 2025) expanded and foam plastic food trays, loose-fill packaging, and moulded or cut packaging will also make a difference.

Submissions are due by 4 November 2024 - have your say here.  We'll be doing a detailed response and sharing key points with our allies and supporters. 

The Boomerang Alliance is proud to announce the launch of the Plastic Ban Solution Finder, a groundbreaking website designed to support hospitality businesses in Australia in navigating state plastic ban regulations. As the most comprehensive resource of its kind in the country, the website aims to prevent businesses from being misled by false claims, ensuring they can confidently choose the right packaging alternatives.

This new tool offers a wide range of packaging options tailored to help hospitality venues comply with their state's regulations, better protect the environment, and enhance their reputation. Initially, the website covers Western Australia and South Australia, with plans to expand to other states soon.

Kellie Lindsay, Plastic Free Places Manager for Boomerang Alliance, shared her insights on the initiative: “As part of our national Plastic Free Places program, we have worked with thousands of hospitality businesses to eliminate over 30 million single-use plastic items. Unfortunately, many businesses have been misled into buying packaging that falsely claims to be plastic-free or compliant with bans. This is very frustrating and often expensive for businesses trying to do the right thing.”

In response to these challenges, the Boomerang Alliance developed the Plastic Ban Solution Finder to provide a simple and comprehensive solution. The website offers clear, up-to-date information and independently assesses every packaging product to confirm compliance with bans. This process includes cross-referencing with certification bodies, checking product compositions, and verifying claims, ensuring businesses can make informed decisions and avoid greenwashing.

In addition to compliance information, the site also features a range of guides to help businesses reduce single-use packaging, save money, and minimise waste.

The development of the Plastic Ban Solution Finder has been made possible through funding support from the Western Australian and South Australian state governments. We are excited to make this resource available to businesses in these states and look forward to expanding its reach across Australia in the near future.

Explore the Plastic Ban Solution Finder today and take the next step towards a more sustainable future for your business and the environment.

Visit the website here

Supermarkets in Australia are a $130.2 billion industry, responsible for the majority of household

plastic packaging.

The ACCC has been taking submissions from interested parties about the major supermarkets. This has largely been focused on pricing and whether there has been unfair behaviour by the supermarkets with primary producers and consumers. The Boomerang Alliance took the opportunity to present our views on two key issues raised by our supermarket audit run with the AMCS. Those were pricing packaged fresh produce at lower than loose items and the continued misleading recycling information on labels.

In our submission, we stated:

We, and our supporters regularly monitor the actions of supermarkets with respect to packaging. The issue we receive most comment on from supporters and the public is the practice of charging more for loose fruit and vegetables compared to equivalent products that are packaged. This practice provides a clear price incentive to purchase unnecessary packaging. Packaging that councils and their ratepayers have to foot the bill for collection and recovery. In the case of plastic (soft plastics) packaging services, there is no collection service so it all goes to waste (with associated public cost)

Supermarkets offer products in packaging that the consumer accepts will be recovered after use. Reuse and recycling are important considerations for most consumers when making purchasing decisions. Data from APCO (Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation) indicates that less than 20% of plastic packaging is being recovered, and the rest is being wasted. An estimated 3-4% of plastic packaging contains recycled content. 

Many supermarkets and brands now use the Australian Recycling label (ARL) to promote their environmental credentials to consumers. The ARL provides information on the recyclability of product packaging and information on its correct discard to avoid waste. Since October 2022, there has been no in-store collection of soft plastics. Despite this, the ARL (provided by the two major supermarkets) still advises consumers they can discard soft plastics in-store. The ARL should be changed if no service is provided.

The ARL itself needs to be reviewed as it suggests to consumers that their packaging (particularly plastics) will be recycled. The ARL description of recyclability needs to be expanded to include the requirements that any packaging is recovered, in practice and at scale.

The most recent negotiation session for a global marine plastic treaty (Ottawa, Canada 23-29 April 2024) was frustrating and disappointing for many delegates hoping for more progress on an international agreement. That lack of progress stems from the major plastics industries, and a bloc of nations opposing common global rules. 

Kate Noble from WWF who attended the meeting has told us that, 'vested economic interests are playing out in these negotiations in a major way. The value of plastics traded globally is estimated by the UN at more than $USD 1 trillion, with rapid annual growth. So oil and petrochemical companies - and countries heavily dependent on oil and gas revenue - are fighting hard in this process to protect profits through growth in plastic production, as other sectors decarbonise.' 

 A significant majority of countries - more than 100 - are quite aligned in pushing for global rules to ban, phase out and/or regulate the most polluting plastic products and the most harmful chemicals in plastics. And a significant number - including Australia - are engaging in good faith negotiations on how the treaty can reduce plastic production to sustainable measures, as well as possible trade measures.

UN member states are now working towards the final negotiation session scheduled for Busan (South Korea) in November/December 2024. It was intended that this would be the last session before the signing of an international agreement. This may not be the case now.

Australia is amongst the progressive countries who want effective solutions with common global rules. The Boomerang Alliance commends the Australian Government and its delegation for taking this position. 

Kate Noble adds that "Australia is playing a very constructive role in negotiations that goes beyond its role as a UN member state. Australia's Kate Lynch has stepped into a high-level coordination role within the negotiations, co-chairing negotiation of the financial package and obligations which will be critical to effective implementation of the treaty in the years to come.'

 Please Note: In Australia, the Boomerang Alliance is currently lobbying the Commonwealth Government to introduce a Product Stewardship Scheme for Packaging that will make producers responsible for their packaging. Such a scheme would set an example to the rest of the world on how to manage problem plastic packaging and avoid waste and litter. It would be a practical demonstration of Australia's commitment towards ending plastic pollution.

In a nutshell: What the Boomerang Alliance wants

• Legally binding common and global rules that will change the way plastics are managed in our economies to avoid unnecessary consumption and eliminate waste and pollution
• Introduced Circular Economy measures that make producers responsible for the products they place into the market through their entire lifecycle
• Prioritising action on the types of plastic most likely to be wasted or littered
• Support for fair and equitable global action by providing the means (where it is needed) for all nations to transition away from problematic plastics that impact people and the environment

In a recent investigation on supermarket practices, we found that many products that used soft plastic wrapping still had labels advising consumers to return the wrapping to the store, even when no collection service existed. The REDcycle soft plastics collection service collapsed in October 2022 and has not been replaced.

In our random sample of products we picked fresh produce and common items, products that would have been packaged more recently. 

We also found that some brands had changed their labels to advise the wrapping went to waste. Not a great outcome but more honest.

The Boomerang Alliance has called on supermarkets and other retailers to remove these labels or provide a collection service.

We have asked the Commonwealth and the ACCC to act on this. What is the point of labels if they don't provide accurate information?

See our latest media release on the subject here. 

In its submission to the Senate Inquiry on Commonwealth waste and recycling policies, the Boomerang Alliance has called for Commonwealth action to fix national waste laws.

The only way to reduce and eliminate waste is to abandon the linear economy model of make-use-throwaway and switch to a circular economy approach. The best way to achieve this is for producers of products to be responsible for their products through their entire lifecycle, not just when they manufacture them.

The Boomerang Alliance has called for:

•  A national circular economy policy framework and its regulated adoption by all States and Territories.
• All existing and future product stewardship schemes are to be mandatory schemes.
• Commonwealth policies are to be aligned with State and Territory bans on particular products and landfill disposal, and the promotion of reuse of resources.