Woolworths has turned to local manufacturers in South Australia to produce their brown paper bags as part of a move away from overseas producers to create jobs and boost local manufacturing.
Customers in South Australia and the Northern Territory are now able to purchase the Australian-made paper bags in stores, in a national rollout that will include other states over the next year.
South Australian Minister for Environment and Water David Speirs said: “I absolutely welcome Woolworths making the move to produce paper bags here in South Australia.
“The bags will have significant benefits for the environment and the fact they will be locally made is even better. This is another step in the right direction towards a local circular economy,” he said.
The supermarket chain’s million-dollar partnership with family-owned manufacturer Detpak will create at least 12 jobs at the manufacturer’s Adelaide plant and a further 12 roles nationally.
Woolworths’ paper shopping bags were first launched in June in response to customer demand for a paper carry bag option.
But from this week, the bags are manufactured in South Australia instead of overseas.
Alf Ianniello, CEO of Detpak’s parent company Detmold Group, said that they were pleased to be localising the manufacture of Woolworths’ paper bags.
“As a South Australian business with 70 years history of local manufacturing, making these bags right here in Adelaide is something we are immensely proud of,” Ianniello said in a media release.
