To encourage customers to recycle plastic bottles, Tesco has today begun trialling in-store recycling machines, which will pay customers for every plastic bottle returned. The trial will take place at selected stores in Borehamwood, Swansea, Edinburgh, Manchester and Birmingham. The first machine opens for customers in Borehamwood today (27 September) and will pay 10p for bottles returned.
In addition, from 3 October customers will be able to reuse their own multi-use plastic containers when they buy meat, cheese or fish from deli and fish counters in UK stores. Instead of using single-use plastic bags, products will be weighed and wrapped in recyclable paper then placed inside the customer’s container with the price label placed on the paper.
Earlier this year Tesco announced its intention to simplify the number of materials it used in packaging to help improve the ease and rate of recyclability. It also highlighted the challenges of having different collection schemes in different local authority areas making it costly and confusing for customers to recycle.
Jason Tarry, UK and ROI CEO said:
“We are already committed to eliminating single use plastic wherever we can and make recycling simpler for customers. Today is another step in that direction. However, we know that it is going to take retailers, manufacturers and government to work together to make progress. We would urge the government to move to a single, nationwide approach to waste collection that makes it much easier for people to recycle.”
