Coles Sustainability Profile

Sustainability Summary

Good On You - Not found
Ethical Consumer - This information is locked, visit Ethical Consumer's website
B Corp - Not found
Trustpilot - 1.8/5 (598 reviews)
This is an unclaimed profile. Coles has not joined Sustainability Tracker to verify their sustainability credentials. We gathered what we could from public sources.

What do our labels mean?

Coles presents sustainability as part of how it runs its business, with a focus on climate, nature, and circularity. It says it is working to cut emissions in its own operations and across its supply chain, protect biodiversity, and reduce waste through better packaging and recycling. It also links sustainability to food, animal welfare, and community support. The company says it uses third-party certifications and verification schemes for some own-brand products, such as MSC for seafood, FSC for paper and timber, Rainforest Alliance for tea, coffee, and cocoa, and RSPCA Approved for chicken. Independent third-party review data in the scraped content is mixed, with some strong criticism from customers on Trustpilot.

Positive Sentiment Found
Positive third-party sentiment in the scraped material is limited, but there are some clear signals. Coles is described in independent commentary as a major Australian retailer pushing ESG change through packaging, food waste reduction, supplier engagement, and higher-welfare poultry. The company also says it has the largest MSC certified own-brand seafood range in Australia, and it was named MSC Best Sustainable Seafood Supermarket at the 2025 Sustainable Seafood Awards Australia for its commitment to certified seafood during 2024. Those signals suggest some external recognition for its seafood sourcing and broader sustainability direction, even though the evidence is not broad across all parts of the business.

Common Criticisms:
The strongest third-party signal in the scraped content is negative customer feedback on Trustpilot. One Coles-related Trustpilot page shows a 1.8 out of 5 rating based on 598 reviews, with complaints about missing items and being charged for orders that were not delivered. While that review page is for a Coles blog domain rather than the main store, it still points to poor customer experience around online orders. The scraped material does not show a formal independent sustainability assessment from bodies like Good On You or B Corp, so there is also a gap in external verification. That means some of Coles’ sustainability claims are only visible through its own disclosures, not through a broad set of independent ratings.

About Coles

Status
Unverified

Website
Visit Website

Employees
500+

Industry
Supermarkets

Country
Australia

Founded
1914

Coles Sustainability Actions

Set FY26–FY30 strategy

Coles says its FY26–FY30 sustainability strategy is built around three main areas: climate, nature, and circularity. In plain terms, that means it is focusing on cutting emissions, protecting ecosystems and biodiversity, and reducing waste by keeping materials in use for longer. The company says these priorities are meant to support both long-term business resilience and a more stable food system in Australia.

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Expanded certified own-brand products

Coles says it uses independent certification and verification schemes across some own-brand products that contain higher-risk commodities, such as tea, coffee, cocoa, sugar, timber, paper, palm oil, cotton, and seafood. It names FSC for timber and paper, MSC for wild-caught seafood, RSPCA Approved for chicken, and Rainforest Alliance for tea, coffee, and cocoa. These labels are meant to give shoppers a way to choose products linked to specific environmental or animal welfare standards.

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Long history with RSPCA chicken

Coles says it was the first national Australian retailer to launch Coles Own Brand fresh RSPCA Approved chicken in 2014. RSPCA Approved is a farm animal welfare scheme, which means the products come from farms that meet standards set by the RSPCA and go beyond basic legal requirements in Australia. Coles presents this as part of its wider effort to improve animal welfare outcomes in its supply chain.

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Largest MSC own-brand seafood range

Coles says it has the largest MSC certified own-brand seafood range in Australia. MSC, or Marine Stewardship Council, is a third-party label for wild-caught seafood from fisheries that meet a science-based standard for sustainable fishing. Coles also says the seafood must stay separate through the supply chain, which helps keep certified and non-certified products apart. The company says this work supports more sustainable fishing choices for shoppers.

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Community support and donations

Coles says it provided $40.2 million in community support in FY25 through charity partnerships, fundraising, food donations, and disaster relief. It also says it supports charities and community organisations across Australia. This is a social impact action rather than an environmental one, but it still sits within the company’s broader sustainability approach because it links to food access, community resilience, and support for people in need.

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Coles Sustainability Commitments

2030

100% renewable electricity

Coles is described in third-party commentary as having a commitment to use 100% renewable energy by 2030. Renewable energy means power from sources like wind and solar that can be replaced naturally. The scraped material does not provide full detail on the plan, but it clearly points to a 2030 target linked to decarbonising the business.

Coles Partnerships

Memberships & Accreditations

APCO

Rainforest Alliance

Partners

Clean Up Australia

APCO

Rainforest Alliance

Suppliers

Ball & Doggett

Frequently Asked Questions

Has Coles published a sustainability report?

Confidence: High. As of September 2026, Coles has published sustainability information on its website and refers to a FY26 Sustainability Supplement. The scraped material also mentions its FY26–FY30 Sustainability Strategy and related sustainability pages. However, the full report text is not fully available in the material here, so the exact scope and all metrics cannot be confirmed from third-party sources alone. Consumers who want the full picture can check Coles’ sustainability pages and the FY26 Sustainability Supplement directly.. Sources: Coles sustainability - https://coles.com.au/sustainability

What is Coles' sustainability rating?

Confidence: Moderate. As of September 2026, Coles does not appear to have a published Good On You or B Corp sustainability rating in the scraped material. The main independent score found is a Trustpilot rating of 1.8 out of 5 based on 598 reviews for a Coles-related page, which reflects customer service feedback rather than a formal ESG rating. That means there is no broad third-party sustainability score available here. Consumers who want an independent ESG view may need to look for additional assessment platforms or request more disclosure from Coles.. Sources: Trustpilot, Coles sustainability - https://www.trustpilot.com/review/blog.coles.com.au, https://coles.com.au/sustainability

What sustainability certifications does Coles have?

Confidence: High. As of September 2026, Coles says it uses several third-party certifications and verification schemes on own-brand products. These include MSC for wild-caught seafood, which means the fishery meets a science-based sustainable fishing standard; FSC for timber, paper, and pulp, which supports responsible forest management; RSPCA Approved for chicken, which means higher animal welfare standards; and Rainforest Alliance for tea, coffee, and cocoa. The company also mentions PEFC and Fairtrade in its sustainability material, but the scraped text is truncated, so the full list cannot be confirmed here.. Sources: Coles sustainability - https://coles.com.au/sustainability

What is Coles' carbon footprint?

Confidence: Low. As of September 2026, Coles has not publicly disclosed a full carbon footprint figure in the scraped material. It does say it is working to decarbonise its operations and supply chain, and third-party commentary says it has a 2030 renewable energy commitment. But there is no complete emissions total, no Scope 1, 2, or 3 breakdown, and no verified footprint number in the material provided. Consumers who want this information should look for Coles’ latest sustainability supplement or annual reporting.. Sources: Coles sustainability, Naturaliste Solutions - https://coles.com.au/sustainability, https://www.naturalistesolutions.com.au/insights/december-update-corporate-sustainability-leadership-waste-reduction-innovations-and-regulatory-trends-for-2025/

Is Coles' packaging sustainable?

Confidence: Moderate. As of September 2026, Coles says it is working on packaging through its circularity pillar, which includes smarter product design, recycling, and re-use of materials. It also says some own-brand timber, pulp, and paper products use FSC or PEFC-certified material, or post-consumer recycled materials. That suggests some progress, but the scraped material does not give a full packaging score or a complete breakdown of how much packaging is recyclable or recycled. Consumers can check product labels and Coles’ sustainability supplement for more detail.. Sources: Coles sustainability - https://coles.com.au/sustainability

Is Coles ethical on labour and supply chain issues?

Confidence: Moderate. As of September 2026, Coles says its sustainability strategy includes human rights, team wellbeing, diversity and inclusion, and support for suppliers. It also says it works with farmers and suppliers to improve resilience and reduce environmental impacts. However, the scraped material does not include an independent labour audit, supply chain risk rating, or detailed worker-welfare assessment. That means there is not enough third-party evidence here to fully judge the company’s labour performance. Consumers who want more detail should look for Coles’ human rights or supplier reporting.. Sources: Coles sustainability - https://coles.com.au/sustainability

What is Coles doing about sustainability?

Confidence: High. As of September 2026, Coles says it is focusing on climate, nature, and circularity. In practice, that means cutting emissions, protecting biodiversity, reducing waste, and using more certified or verified own-brand products. It also says it supports community groups, food donations, and disaster relief, and it works with partners such as Planet Ark and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. Independent commentary also links Coles to packaging changes, food waste reduction, and supplier ESG programs. The overall picture is active, but the level of independent verification varies by topic.. Sources: Coles sustainability, Naturaliste Solutions - https://coles.com.au/sustainability, https://www.naturalistesolutions.com.au/insights/december-update-corporate-sustainability-leadership-waste-reduction-innovations-and-regulatory-trends-for-2025/

Sustainability Summary

What do our labels mean?

About Coles