TESCO has announced that it will remove one billion pieces of plastic from its own products for sale in its stores by the end of 2020 as part of its 4Rs plan.
The supermarket’s 4Rs strategy – remove, reduce, reuse, recycle – means it will move away from non-recyclable and excess packaging.
In order to reach their target of removing one billion pieces of plastic, Tesco will remove small plastic bags, plastic trays from ready meals, secondary lids on products such as cream, yoghurts and cereals, forks and straws from snack pots and drinks cartons, and pieces of plastic used to pack clothing and greeting cards.
In August, the supermarket met with 1500 suppliers to let them know that packaging will form a key part of its decision-making process which determines which products are sold in its store. Tesco say they reserve the right to no longer stock products that use excessive or hard to recycle materials.
Tesco CEO, Dave Lewis said,“Our work to Remove, Reduce, Reuse & Recycle is already transforming our packaging. Over the next twelve months, we will remove one billion pieces of plastic, further reducing the environmental impact of the products we sell. By focusing on solutions that we can apply across all our UK stores and supply chain, we can make a significant difference and achieve real scale in our efforts to tackle plastic.”
WWF UK’s sustainable materials specialist, Paula Chin said,“Plastic pollution is the most visible symptom of the environmental crisis we’re currently facing. Businesses, governments and households have all got an important part to play, so it’s good to see Tesco’s commitment to significantly reduce the amount of plastic we use.”
