Producers pledge to reduce packaging

The Courtauld Commitment is headed by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) and the nine companies, which have a joint turnover of £9 million, have pledged to stop packaging waste growth by 2008 and deliver packaging waste reductions by 2010.

The aim is to reduce the 6.3 million tonnes of packaging reaching UK homes each year by at least 340,000 tonnes by 2010.

The Commitment also requires signatories to draw-up plans to reduce the estimated 6.7 million tonnes of food waste produced in the UK each year.

There are now 25 major grocery organisations signed up to the Commitment, which was drawn-up in late 2005.

Benefits 

WRAP's chief executive Liz Goodwin said: “This announcement is good news for the consumer and the environment.

“In addition to the obvious environmental benefits that reduced packaging waste brings, consumers will have less packaging to carry home from the supermarket and more space in their bins. Packaging reduction also delivers cost savings to business,” she said.

Alastair Sykes, chairman and chief executive of Nestle UK, added: “Reducing packaging waste is environmentally responsible and makes sound business sense. This partnership will benefit the environment, reduce waste and improve efficiency, so it creates shared value for our business and the wider community.”

A range of measures have been implemented by other signatories including Asda's lighter salad bags which have reduced material use by 14% and Co-op's decision to remove cartons from their tomato puree.

However, in November 2006, one year after the agreement had been signed, the signatories were only a tenth of the way towards meeting their own voluntary targets. (see letsrecycle.com story)