Tesco to allow customers to leave excess packaging behind

The trial will run for six weeks from yesterday (April 1) at the Tesco Extra stores in Guildford in Surrey and Ilminster in Somerset.

The pilot is the first of its kind in the UK and is primarily intended to help Tesco identify what packaging is deemed unnecessary. However, a spokeswoman explained that, if popular, it could be considered as a general public service.

Packaging waste has been a contentious issue between householders, councils and retailers over the last few years, with the LGA claiming in February that “excessive” food packaging was undermining efforts to recycle (see letsrecycle.com story) while packaging producers claim that packaging is necessary to prevent food waste.

There have also been reports of customers in some UK supermarkets leaving packaging behind out of protest.

Lucy Neville-Rolfe, Tesco's executive director for corporate and legal affairs said: “We know that our customers want us to continue to reduce packaging. At the same time we need to make sure that we are preventing unnecessary food waste. We are looking to find the least amount of packaging necessary and this trial will help us to establish customers' views.”

Cages

Under the pilot, Tesco will set up an area in both stores where customers can remove excess packaging and place it into one of two cages similar to those used by the supermarket at the back of store. One will be used for paper and card and the other plastics.

A spokeswoman told letsrecycle.com that the scheme was similar to those used on a routine basis in Germany, commenting: “The head of the team has seen in Germany that this is what happens as a matter of course.”

The material will then be analysed to identify any trends before the paper is recycled under a contract with Caerphilly-based Severnside, and the plastics is recycled under a deal with Leicestershire-based J&A Young.

The pilot is the next phase in Tesco's campaign to reduce packaging. The company has already reduced the weight of its glass bottles, reduced packaging on electrical equipment by 80% and collected and recycled plastic shopping bags to be re-sold as black, plastic refuse sacks.

Tesco has also invested in 64 state-of-the-art large recycling units in store car parks (see letsrecycle.com story) and this week launched a smaller trial ‘TOMRA' unit designed for high streets.

Alasdair James, head of energy, waste and recycling at Tesco said: “We know our customers expect us to help them recycle easily and we have also committed ourselves to cutting our own waste. This unique pilot helps us do both. Packaging left by customers at the store will tell us a lot about areas we may need to look at again as well as where we have got it right.”