Coles supermarkets will roll out plastic bags made with 20 per cent marine waste and 80 per cent recycled plastic in stores across the country.

The Marine Reusable Shopping Bag is made from recovered plastics from inland and ocean-feeding waterways, mainly in Malaysia. 

Coles’ chief sustainability, property and export officer Thinus Keevé said the new plastic bags offer a ‘practical and convenient’ way for customers to shop while also supporting a circular economy.

“We encourage our customers to reuse their bags as often as possible, but when they do reach the end of their useful life, these bags can be recycled through soft plastic collections in any of our stores at the Redcycle drop off points,” he said.

The retailer will donate 10 per cent from the sale of every Marine Reusable Shopping Bag to support Clean Up Australia’s Buy Recycled program. 

The retailer is also rolling out reusable mesh produce bags for customers to purchase and reuse when shopping for fruit and veggies. The mesh bags are made from 90 per cent recycled material, helping reduce single-use plastics.

The Marine Reusable shopping bags are available for 25c each in all states except Western Australia.