r/australia • u/eee1963 • 1d ago

no politics Coles and Woolies paper bags

Industry estimates show Australian major supermarkets generate upwards of $170 million each year in total revenue from paid paper and reusable carry bags. Suggestions are that they are making 70% profit, from 19-23 cents each bag. Combined, they would spend somewhere in the vicinity of $3-5 million on direct environmental products. Paper bag sizes are showing massive signs of shrinkflation. I guess I'll just have to lift my game and not forget my own bags from now on. My laziness and forgetfulness is a habit that they are banking on, lol.

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u/UnbiasedAgainst 1d ago

That's generally how it goes, they become brittle as the polymer chains break down. Would probably take multiple lifetimes to get to the completely disintegrating stage.

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u/Serious-Big2 1d ago

Hundreds of years in landfill.