UK supermarkets launch voluntary pledge to cut plastic packaging

UK supermarkets and food companies launched a new voluntary pledge to cut plastic packaging on Thursday as ministers consider forcing them to pay more towards collecting and recycling the waste they produce.

In a first response to a growing public backlash against the huge volumes of plastic rubbish, most of the UK’s largest supermarkets signed up to support the UK Plastics Pact – an industry-wide initiative which says it aims to transform packaging and reduce avoidable plastic waste.

Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Aldi, Lidl and Waitrose are among the 42 businesses so far supporting the new pledge, which includes an aspiration that by 2025 all plastic packaging can be reused, recycled or composted..

But the same supermarkets have consistently refused to reveal how much plastic packaging they put onto the market, or commit to paying more to recycle it, in a system which is shrouded in secrecy.

The environment secretary, Michael Gove, who is to address a launch event tonight, said: “Our ambition to eliminate avoidable plastic waste will only be realised if government, businesses and the public work together.

“Industry action can prevent excess plastic reaching our supermarket shelves in the first place. I am delighted to see so many businesses sign up to this pact and I hope others will soon follow suit.”

Sainsbury’s CEO, Mike Coupe, added: “We all have a role to play in reducing the amount of plastics used in society. For our part we accept our responsibilities and are working hard to reduce the use of plastic across our business.”

Plastic waste has recently become an emotive issue in the UK, with programmes like Blue Planet exposing its impact on the oceans, and regular media coverage exposing the dangers of a global plastic binge.

Gove has already announced a plan to encourage drinks containers to be recycled through a deposit return scheme; myriad retailers have announced their own plans to cut back on plastics and coffee shops have moved to cut back on disposable cups.

But critics note that the new plastics pact is voluntary and that the pledge comes with no enforcement mechanism. The pledge fails to commit to removing all single-use packaging, instead promising to remove “problematic or unnecessary” single-use plastic by 2025.

Other promises include by 2025:

• 100% of plastic packaging should be reusable, recyclable or compostable;

• 70% should be effectively recycled or composted, and

• all plastic packaging should have 30% average recycled content.

Ministers are considering changes to the way retailers and supermarkets contribute to the collection and recycling of their waste, known as the Packaging Recovery Note (PRN) scheme. Changes announced this summer in the waste and recycling strategy could include forcing supermarkets and other retailers to pay more to clear up the waste they create as part of a circular economy package within the EU.

Supermarkets in the UK pay less towards collecting and recycling their plastic waste than in any other European country – leaving taxpayers to pick up 90% of the bill.

Documents published this week under freedom of information laws revealed that the same supermarkets and their representative bodies have strongly lobbied government against increasing the amount they paid towards collection and recycling of their plastic and other waste, saying it would be a “significant and disruptive change” to business.

The government is expected to announce changes to the PRN scheme in its waste and recycling strategy this summer, which could place more financial responsibility on retailers.

Julian Kirby, plastics campaigner for Friends of the Earth, welcomed the new pact as a move in the right direction. But he said: “It must be accompanied by government measures to ensure that everyone plays their part and these targets are actually met.”

He said regulations and taxes were required to discourage industry from using virgin plastic and to boost their recycling and force them to re-use material.

“Ultimately the only long-term solution is a complete phase-out of all but the most essential uses, covering all plastic-polluting sectors including clothing, cosmetics and vehicles - as well as packaging. Ministers must draw up an action plan to make this a reality.”

Leading supermarket Iceland has not joined up to the pledge - which mostly concentrates on recycling. In January Iceland became the first major retailer to commit to eliminate plastic packaging for all its own-brand products within just five years.

Iceland boss Richard Walker said he was supportive of the initiative. But he added: “We have taken the decision not to participate directly in their Plastic Pact because we have already taken a more far-reaching decision to eliminate plastic packaging from our own label range in its entirety by 2023. Given the scale of our ambition, we feel that is right to focus all Iceland’s resources on delivering this.”

Morrisons announced on Thursday that it is to trial “plastic-free” fruit and vegetable sections in its stores, while allowing shoppers to bring in their own Tupperware and other containers for purchases from its fresh meat and fish counters.

Dr Dominic Hogg, from environmental consultants Eunomia, said the voluntary policy must not be used as an excuse not to regulate by the secretary of state.

“If you want 70% of packaging to be recycled or composted don’t put it in a voluntary agreement that businesses can choose to adopt or not choose to, make it a policy, legislate to drive performance to that level. Plastic waste is a significant global problem and won’t be addressed by a voluntary pact.”

Marcus Gover, chief executive officer of the government-backed waste advisers Wrap, said: “We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to rethink and reshape the future of plastic so that we retain its value, and curtail the damage plastic waste wreaks on our planet.

“This requires a whole scale transformation of the plastics system and can only be achieved by bringing together all links in the chain under a shared commitment to act.”