ASDA
ASDA
ASDA has committed to phase out single-use plastic carrier bags by the end of 2018
ASDA has said it will work collaboratively with industry and partners as it looks to increase the recyclability of its products and the way it uses plastics and packaging within its business.
The retailer, which is the UK’s third largest by market share, yesterday launched a document called ‘Plastics Unwrapped’, within which its President and CEO, Roger Burnley, outlines the company’s pledges to “use less and recycle more”.
In the next 12 months the retailer says it will make immediate changes that will see it reduce the amount of plastics used in its own brand packaging by “at least 10 percent”.
These include the complete phase-out of single-use carrier bags by the end of 2018, switching from coloured to clear plastics for its soft drinks ranges and using more single-polymer material in its packaging to increase recyclability.
Burnley said that the commitments were part of ASDA’s mission to become the “Most Trusted Retailer”, an important part of which, he said, was earning customers’ trust on its efforts to protect the environment.
“It’s a balance between avoiding plastic where we can but recognising that, currently, there are instances where some plastic is necessary to make sure our products reach our customers in the best condition, to avoid waste and have a smaller environmental footprint than the alternatives. Our logic is to remove plastic wherever we can, and where it is required, to make it as recyclable as possible,” he wrote.
ASDA
Roger Burnley
ASDA President and CEO, Roger Burnley
The retailers longer-term ambitions, which include finding alternative solutions to black CPET trays for ready meals and plastic films, and ways of increasing the recycled material content within its packaging and products, would need innovation and collaboration to fulfil, Burnley said.
“Whilst we recognise that currently plastic is the best option for some products, we don’t want it to be the only option. Tackling our reliance on plastic isn’t something that can be done in isolation. It needs partnership, collaboration and fresh thinking to create the best solution,” he continued.
“I’m committed to promoting a culture of partnership and open cooperation, where we can tackle this problem together regardless of competitive differences. That’s why we’re entering a partnership with the UK’s leading experts in packaging technology at the Leeds Beckett University Retail Institute along with one of our biggest UK suppliers, ABP, to work together to find innovative new alternatives to plastic and materials that can be recycled more.”
ASDA said its “doors are open to working with other partners” to address its challenges. As part of this, the company will soon create a ‘Plastics Hub’, within which it will invite “implementable and scalable ideas” to its challenges to be submitted by both individuals and industry. Should these be chosen an innovation award of £10,000 will be granted.