Unwrapped: Plastic use in Australian supermarkets

Supermarkets in Australia are a $144.3 billion industry, responsible for the majority of household packaging.

See which of the big brands have improved their rank, and which are still lagging behind, in the third audit of Australian supermarket plastics use.

For too long, supermarkets have not been held accountable for the amount of plastic packaging they generate, pumping out difficult-to-recycle packaging at the expense of our environment. With no legislated mandate to curb plastic production, supermarkets have largely avoided public accountability relating to the amount of plastic on their shelves.

To help you make sustainable choices about where you shop, we’ve audited Australia’s biggest supermarket brands on their plastic reduction efforts.

Supermarket Plastics Audit Report

All the supermarkets claim to be taking action – but who is really making the biggest impact?

We assessed the performance of the four major supermarkets in the 2024 financial year, to see who is improving their plastic packaging, and who is trailing behind.

All four supermarkets failed to achieve a passing grade. Woolworths achieved the highest score in 2025. Metcash (IGA, Foodland, and others) came in second, with Coles and ALDI trailing behind.

 

Key 2025 audit findings

  • Transparency is still lacking, and reporting is fragmented – a key finding from previous years that remains a significant issue in 2025.
  • Shoppers continue to be penalised for trying to shop without packaging on their fresh produce, with loose fresh produce more expensive than plastic-wrapped produce in 73% of cases.
  • Inconsistent and limited options when buying groceries online could increase the unnecessary plastic ending up on Australian shopping lists.
  • Plastic packaging is difficult to avoid, leaving shoppers with few options to avoid plastic packaging on pantry staples and fresh produce.
  • Supermarkets are slow to implement reuse and refill systems
  • Leading supermarkets are not prioritising removal of plastic, instead relying on recycling.

In 2025, our Plastic Investigation Unit helped us discover that in 73% of cases, loose produce was more expensive than the same produce pre-packaged in plastic. This is despite evidence suggesting that the best way to reduce food waste is to buy loose, and only the quantity needed.

Deep Dives

More about Unwrapped

You can help improve packaging in Australia

We’re on a nationwide search to uncover the best and worst packaging in Australia, and we need your help.

Packaging is everywhere, but not all packaging is created equal. Some packaging protects products efficiently and is designed for reuse. Others are over the top, excessive, unable to be recycled, or just downright wasteful.

We’re inviting people from around the country to share examples of packaging – the good, the bad, and the unnecessary.

Make A Nomination Now

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