South Australia is set to introduce the nation's first recycling scheme for soft plastics, particularly food wrappers and plastic bags.

The state government has provided $50,000 to help fund the scheme, which allows shoppers to take soft plastics into any of 42 Coles supermarkets.

They will then be recycled into furniture for kindergartens and schools, keeping the waste out of landfill.

Environment Minister Ian Hunter said South Australia had a strong tradition of embracing recycling and he was confident consumers would make good use of the new scheme.

He said previous measures to place a deposit on drink containers and ban single-use plastic shopping bags had proved highly successful.

"SA has a proven record in leading the nation when it comes to recycling," he said.