Hovis launches UK-wide bread bag recycling initiative in partnership with recycling pioneer TerraCycle

Hovis has launched a bread bag recycling initiative in partnership with recycling experts TerraCycle.

All Hovis bread bags are 100 per cent recyclable through the plastic bag collection points at most major retailers’ stores, and recently Hovis has started rolling out clearer recycling labels on packs to encourage more people to dispose of their bread bags correctly.

However, research commissioned by Hovis suggests that a third of people continue to find recycling challenging as they are unsure of what they can recycle.

This, combined with figures from Recoup with highlight the fact that only one-in-ten local authorities currently recycle bread bags, means that despite a growing desire amongst people to recycle, it is difficult to do so.

The partnership aims to address this and make it easier for people to recycle used bread bags from home or within their community.

The Hovis scheme, called the Bread Bag Recycling Programme, aims to create a UK-wide network of public access bread bag recycling points.

Community groups and individual consumers are encouraged to set up locations for their communities where the public can drop off used bread bags, which can be sent free of charge to Terracycle for recycling.

Bready to roll out

Nish Kankiwala, CEO of Hovis, said: “We’re delighted to launch this initiative with TerraCycle to improve the ease of recycling used bread bags, and, as a result, cut the amount of plastic entering the waste stream.”

“Whilst all Hovis bread bags are 100 per cent recyclable, the new Bread Bag Recycling Programme will make it easier for consumers to recycle their used bread bags by dropping them off to easily accessible public access recycling points or sending them in for free from home.”

“Given the increasing public concern and debate about the level of unprocessed plastic waste, we hope this will help as part of the wider efforts to boost recycling of plastics.”

Laure Cucron, General Manager for TerraCycle Europe, said: “It is great to partner with Hovis and to work with this well-loved British brand to drive greater plastic recycling. Bread is a product that is consumed by many families on a daily basis, so there is significant scope to alter consumer behaviour and encourage people to recycle used bread bags.”

“Hovis is helping to lead the agenda for the bread industry and we hope to see more brands and industries making moves in the same direction.”