Latest News About Woolworths Soft Plastic Recycling

Updated 2026-05-07 10:01

Here’s the latest on Woolworths soft plastic recycling:

Woolworths has expanded and fully reinstated in-store soft plastics collection points to more than 700 stores across five states in Australia as of early May 2026. This marks a major scale-up from prior trials and aligns with a renewed national effort to recover soft plastics locally [source: Woolworths news release and industry coverage from May 2026]. The program continues to emphasize partnerships with local recyclers and SPSA to build a coordinated framework for soft plastics recovery [source: Woolworths news release and Packaging News coverage].
The renewed program has already processed tens of millions of pieces of soft plastic since its trials began, with materials being recycled into products such as in-store wall panelling and bread bags containing recycled content. Woolworths cites strong customer demand for recycling access and highlights ongoing collaboration with SPSA to broaden the network [sources: Packaging News May 2026 article; Woolworths news release May 2026].
Background context: Australian retailers have been rebuilding soft plastic recycling networks after the collapse of the REDcycle program. Woolworths helped drive the Soft Plastics Taskforce and SPSA as part of industry-led efforts to restore a nationally coordinated system. Recent announcements emphasize expanding store coverage to make recycling convenient for shoppers [sources: Packaging News 2026 coverage; Woolworths 2023–2025 communications on the SPSA initiative].

Illustration: A Woolworths store with a branded soft plastics bin near the customer entry can help visualize the program’s aim—making recycling as easy as shopping. [image suggestion]

If you’d like, I can summarize regional store counts by state or pull quotes from the Woolworths announcement for citations. Would you prefer a concise state-by-state breakdown or a short timeline of key milestones?

Citations:

Woolworths expands soft plastics return network and stores coverage (May 2026)[1]
Woolworths expands soft plastics recycling to 500 stores context (2025)[2]
Woolworths press release on 2026 soft plastics collection expansion (May 2026)[3]

Sources

Woolworths Expands In-Store Soft Plastics Collection Trial: A Step Towards Sustainable Recycling_soft_the_is

The establishment of the Soft Plastics Taskforce serves as a critical response to the challenges posed …

news.sohu.com

Council brings soft plastic recycling back to Inner West supermarkets

Inner West Council brings soft plastic recycling back to local supermarkets, making it easier for residents to recycle and reduce plastic waste.

www.innerwest.nsw.gov.au

Woolworths expands soft plastics return network - PKN Packaging News

More than 700 Woolworths supermarkets across five states are now accepting soft plastics again, marking a major expansion of Australia’s growing soft plastics recovery network.

www.packagingnews.com.au

Woolworths Expands Soft Plastics Recycling to 500 Stores - IndiHub

Woolworths is preparing to significantly expand its soft plastics recycling programme, aiming to have collection points in 500 stores over the next year.

indihub.com.au

Woolworths brings back in-store soft plastics collection points in more than 700 stores

Thursday, 7 May 2026: Soft plastics recycling is officially back in more than 700 Woolworths stores across five states, providing Australian families with a convenient way to reduce household waste. The renewed soft plastics recycling scheme was first launched as a trial in five Victorian Woolworths stores in February 2024. Since then, hundreds more locations have rolled out their collection points, with select Woolworths stores in South Australia joining the scheme this week. With this...