Waitrose releases new eco-friendly charity bags made from recycled plastic

Waitrose and Jutexpo, a supplier of eco-friendly reusable bags, have joined forces with designer Caroline Gardner to produce a range of shopping bags, in aid of UK charity, Meningitis Now.

The range includes handy ‘pouch bags’ made entirely from recycled plastic bottles, made using Jutexpo’s HALT process, which turns post-consumer plastic into a soft, durable fabric called rPET. 

HALT bags are the first to have the integrity of certification to the Global Recycled Standards (GRS), ethically-produced to the Jutexpo Standard.

The large shopping bags are made from a blend of jute and cotton known as juco, with both bags available in two designs and are available in Waitrose stores from

early August 2019.     

Caroline Gardner said: “We are thrilled to put our newest print on this iconic juco shopper, along with an exclusive colourway of our signature heart print. Not only are the foldaway bags an essential handbag item but it’s fantastic that each bag is made from 3.5 recycled plastic bottles.”

Sam Turner, compliance director of Jutexpo, said: “We are delighted to be supplying the latest environmentally friendly, reusable bags, wonderfully-designed and raising money for such a good cause.

“Our HALT production process has enabled us to create innovative bags that recycle post-consumer plastic bottles, adding purpose to what would otherwise have been discarded as uncontrolled waste.”