Morrisons has launched a new front-of-pack labelling system.
The supermarket chain claims it will enable customers to recycle more by improving their understanding of what to do with different types of packaging.
Under the scheme, customers will bring recyclable plastic packaging, such as low-density polyethylene (LDPE) bags and film used on products like bread, potatoes and toilet rolls, back to stores, due to the lack of kerbside recycling for such products.
Those products will carry a ‘Recycle Me In Store’ logo and a ‘Please Recycle Me’ icon will appear on packaging that can be recycled at home, such as plastic milk and drinks bottles.
The scheme will be initially rolled out to 400 lines, which account for more than 500 million items sold by the supermarket per year, and will be extended to more products if it was successful, says Morrisons.
Items brought back will be collected in large recycling bins positioned at the front of all Morrisons stores. They will be turned into recyclable carrier bags and bin bags.
“Our customers tell us they want us to reduce packaging, and where we can’t remove it they want to recycle it,” said Morrisons packaging manager Natasha Cook.
“So we are putting clear icons on the front of 400 popular purchases - and inviting customers to bring back packaging they can’t recycle at home. The new clear ‘at a glance’ labels on the back of our packaging is also designed to help our customers recycle - whether pots, tubs, trays, bags, film, bottles or glass.”