Woolworths rolls out eco-friendly initiatives in new sustainability push

Keen-eyed Woolies shoppers around around New South Wales have noticed a number of subtle changes popping up in supermarket aisles.

Capitalising on consumer desires for more eco-friendly shopping, Woolworths has rolled out a number of "green" initiatives including vertical gardens and self-serve BYO packaging bars.

In two Sydney branches – Double Bay Metro and Park Sydney Metro – herb gardens have arrived, where shoppers can pick fresh herbs that have been grown in-store.

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Ready-to-eat mint, coriander, basil and parsley are on offer that Woolworths says "maximises freshness and reduces food miles".

"Our customers want us to help them shop more sustainably," a Woolworths spokeswoman told 9news.com.au.

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"We're growing greener across our stores by reducing plastic packaging, phasing out plastic shopping bags, saving food waste and switching to green electricity.

"We're trialling a range of sustainable innovations in select stores to test which resonate with customers.

"The new vertical herb gardens use a special cabinet within the produce section to grow herbs in the very place our customers buy them - maximising freshness and reducing food miles."

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The spokeswoman said that the herb gardens in particular have "caught the eye" of many customers, and that the chain will "consider opportunities to make green innovations like this available more broadly".

In addition to household cleaning refill stations at two stores, Woolies have also launched a "wide range of dissolvable cleaning products" also available at Double Bay.

"Customers simply drop the dissolvable tablet into a bottle of water at home to use the product, which not only means a lighter load to carry home, but also helps reduce packaging and transport emissions," the spokeswoman said.

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Woolies has another household cleaning refill station in its Burwood Brickworks supermarket in Victoria, while in Sydney metro stores in Double Bay, Park Sydney, Potts Point, Surry Hills and North Turramurra, fresh bread is available in paper - not plastic.

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