We're making our packaging more sustainable by introducing 30% recycled plastic (using the mass balance approach) into a selected range of Woolworths Own Brand soft plastic bread bags (excluding Tas and NT). This recycled content comes from a process called advanced recycling which allows soft plastics (like used bread bags and snack wrappers) to be transformed into new, food-grade packaging.
What is ‘advanced recycling’?
Advanced recycling is a process that breaks down soft plastic waste using heat and pressure, turning it back into raw materials that can be used to create new plastic. This means used plastic packaging can be recycled into new food-safe plastic packaging instead of ending up in landfill.
What is the ‘mass balance’ approach?
The mass balance approach tracks the amount of used plastic processed in the advanced recycling process. As both used and virgin materials are mixed during production, the amount of recycled material in each bag will vary. This means that for every tonne of recycled plastic used, more than a tonne of waste is diverted from landfill.
This process helps reduce plastic waste and create a more sustainable packaging solution, without compromising quality.
*Based on the average size of an outdoor cricket field in Australia.