Retailers propose logo to make recycling easier

The British Retail Consortium and the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), has now put its proposal out to consultation with councils, manufacturers, retailers and government, to make sure it will be widely accepted.

The idea was trigged by a roundtable discussion between a number of retailers including Alliance Boots, ASDA, B&Q, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury's Supermarkets, Tesco Supermarkets Ltd, The Co-Operative Group and Waitrose.

If all goes to according to plan, the Consortium and WRAP aim to have the new, voluntary labelling system incorporated into packaging products by the New Year.

Logo

Based on the Recycle Now campaign's “swoosh” branding, the logo is based on three different symbols indicating how likely it is that the material can be recycled by the local authority area in which the consumer lives.

• The first will indicate it is “widely recyclable” which means more than 65% of local authorities can collect it for recycling. For example, tins, cans and cardboard.
• The second means residents should “check locally” as only 20 to 65% of local authorities will offer a service to recycle it. For example, tin foil.
• The third symbol advises that the material is “not currently recycled” as less than 20% of local authorities will provide services. For example, yoghurt pots and plastic film.

By streamlining the current range of symbols and messages on packaging to produce a standardised logo, the Consortium hopes to tackle the increasing “frustration” from consumers who do not know which types of packaging they can recycle.

It also hopes to reduce contamination of recyclables with non-recyclables, as well as encourage a move towards recycling materials which are presently sent to landfill

British Retail Consortium director general Kevin Hawkins said up until now the disparity in recycling schemes between the country's local authorities had created a barrier to introducing such a labelling system – but that this had to change.

He explained: “Local inconsistencies cannot be allowed to thwart a standardised label which will help millions of customers and mean more of what can be recycled is collected.”

By rolling-out the logo in the New Year, Mr Hawkins wants to show that “voluntary action can achieve more, and more quickly, than any legislation”.

He added: “Retailers recognise they are uniquely placed to change customers' behaviour and help the government achieve its waste reduction targets. Ideally material that's recyclable in one area would be recyclable everywhere but, so far, it isn't.”