Coles has been slammed for launching new plastic freebies less than a week after pledging to axe plastic toy promotions as part of a sustainability push.

The grocery giant said it will give away a new line of reusable plastic picnicware on Thursday, less than a week after Coles chief marketing officer Lisa Ronson said the new freebies the new freebies would allow people to replace single-use plastics would allow people to replace single-use plastics after it stopped selling disposable plastic plates, bowls and other tableware earlier this year.