Asda sets out new plans to reduce plastic waste

Asda, one of the UK’s largest food retailers, has become the latest supermarket to announce immediate plans to reduce plastic waste in its stores.

The supermarket’s new plan, released this week, pledges to reduce the amount of plastic in its packaging by 10 percent this year.

It will do this by implementing a range of measures, including replacing 2.4 million plastic drinking straws with paper; launching reusable coffee cups; and phasing out single-use carrier bags.

All single use cups and plastic cutlery will also be removed from its offices in 2018, and in stores by the end of 2019.

The announcement follows Iceland’s plans last month to phase-out plastic packaging by 2023.

Asda is also in it for the long-term, having already committed to making plastic used in its own brands recyclable by the mid-2020s. It also plans to partner with suppliers and experts to develop new alternatives to plastics.

Asda’s President and Chief Executive, Roger Burnley, said in a blog this week that: “I truly believe that when you serve 18 million people each week and have the ability to make a difference to them, you should do it”.

He added: “I want Asda’s customers to know that they can trust us to take the lead on the issues that really matter to them. So we have challenged ourselves to look at what more we can do to reduce the amount of plastic in our business, and within our industry as a whole.”

Asda is the UK’s third largest supermarket retailer with 15.3 percent of the market, according to consumer group Kantar Worldpanel. Tesco is the dominant leader with 27.8 percent market share; Sainsbury’s holds 15.8 percent.

Earlier this week, Aldi made separate plans to reduce food waste in its stores by half by 2030.

 

Image Credit: Asda