British grocery retailer Tesco has started trialling in-store recycling machines that pay 10p to customers for every plastic bottle returned, as part of its efforts to encourage them to recycle and reuse plastic packaging.
The company joins a list of UK grocery retailers that announced similar initiatives and noted that the move is part of its commitment to shift to a closed loop packaging system.
The retailer has urged the UK Government to bring a consistent framework for recycling across the country.
Customers can avail the scheme at select stores in Borehamwood, Swansea, Edinburgh, Manchester and Birmingham.
Starting next month, Tesco will also allow customers to reuse their own multi-use plastic containers to buy meat, cheese or fish from deli and fish counters in stores across the nation.
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By GlobalDataThis move will allow the retailer to end the use of single-use plastic bags, as products will be weighed and wrapped in recyclable paper before being placed inside the customer’s container.
Tesco UK and ROI CEO Jason Tarry said: “We are already committed to eliminating single use plastic wherever we can and make recycling simpler for customers.
“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.”
The latest move comes after the company revealed plans earlier this year to simplify the number of materials it uses in packaging to increase the rate of recyclability.
Tesco has also asked the government to look into the cost burden associated with having different collection schemes in different local authority areas, as well as the confusion involved.
The UK Government is consulting various stakeholders to introduce the bottle deposit return scheme across the nation in a bid to improve recycling rates.
