Responsible sourcing

We care about how our food is produced and sourced, as well as the health and wellbeing of our customers.

Coles supports the Health Star Rating, a Federal Government front-of-pack labelling program aimed at assisting customers to make healthier choices when buying packaged foods. As of the 2020 financial year, Health Star Ratings are displayed on more than 2,400 Own Brand products.

We are committed to working towards a sustainable future that supports local farmers and food producers, while also looking after the welfare of animals. We source fresh beef with no added hormones, sow-stall free fresh pork, RSPCA Approved fresh chicken and turkey, cage-free eggs and fresh milk from Australian dairy farms. All of our Own Brand seafood, whether fresh, canned or frozen, is responsibly sourced. We also support the production of certified sustainable palm oil, coffee and cocoa products and our receipts are made from 100% certified fibre.

Responsible sourcing intiatives

palm trees

Sustainable Palm Oil

Coles’ Palm Oil Policy outlines our commitment to support the production of sustainable palm oil through the use of sustainable palm oil and palm derivatives.

 

We are a member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil and have embraced its principles and criteria for sustainable palm oil production.

pieces of chocolate and cocoa beans

Certified coffee and cocoa

We use independent certification programs, such as Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance/UTZ, when sourcing coffee and cocoa to provide confidence that these commodities have been sourced ethically and sustainably. All Own Brand coffee, solid block chocolate, Easter eggs and cocoa powder are certified.

Stack of wooden tree trunks

Sustainable timber & paper

Customer receipts at all Coles supermarkets, Coles Express sites and Coles Liquor stores are certified to the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Standard and all Own Brand tissue products are made from FSC or Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) certified fibre.

a hand picking fresh mint

No artificial colours & flavours

We have removed more than 30 artificial colours and flavours from Own Brand food and drink and replaced them with natural alternatives. Look for the logo in store.

bunch of tomatoes on the vine

Australian First Sourcing Policy

As an Aussie company, we pride ourselves on our Australian First Sourcing Policy, which means we source our fruit & veg from Aussie farms first.

bowl of mixed fresh vegetables

Reducing sugar, salt and trans fats

A focus on sugar, salt and trans fat reduction continues to improve the nutritional profile of products across the Own Brand range. In FY19, we removed 110 tonnes of salt and 150 tonnes of sugar from Own Brand products, from an FY18 baseline.

fresh seafood in the hands of a fisherman

Responsibly sourced seafood

All Own Brand seafood including seafood available at the deli, canned Own Brand tuna in the grocery aisle and frozen Own Brand products such as fish fingers have been responsibly sourced since 2015.

Animal welfare

pig farmers in a shed with pigs behind them

Sow stall-free fresh pork

Following extensive work with our pork suppliers, all Own Brand fresh pork is sow stall-free and free from artificial growth promotants – a first for a major Australian supermarket.

a white chicken running in grass

RSPCA Approved Coles fresh chicken and turkey

100 per cent of Coles Own Brand fresh chicken and fresh turkey range are RSPCA Approved, meaning they are grown on farms that must meet strict animal welfare standards and provide an enriched environment for birds to grow.

farmers on a dirt road with cows

No-added hormone beef

All Coles Own Brand beef in the meat departments has been 100 per cent Australian sourced with no added hormones since 2011. By not adding hormones, the cattle grow and mature naturally.

two hands holding eggs

Cage free eggs

All Own Brand shell eggs are cage free. They are either barn laid or free range. Our Own Brand free range and barn laid standard aligns with the Five Freedoms for animal welfare and requires that hens are free to display their natural behaviours by having access to nest boxes, perches and litter for dust bathing.

black and white cows in a field

Fresh milk from Australian Farms

We source all our Own Brand fresh milk from Australian dairy farms. In July 2019, Coles began sourcing Own Brand milk directly from farms in central and southern New South Wales and Victoria for sale in those markets. Coles is also investing an additional $1.9 million into improving the sustainability of Australia’s dairy industry through the newly established Coles Sustainable Dairy Development Group.

 

 

Meet our farmers and producers

beef farmer

Nigel Stephens

NORTH EAST VICTORIA

Des Chapman

GUMLU, QUEENSLAND

Adrian Heath

KIMBERLY, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Laurent Boillon

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA