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How Supermarkets Are Changing to Become More Environmentally Friendly

How Supermarkets Are Changing to Become More Environmentally Friendly

The push to save our planet is reaching its peak, with both individuals and companies across the globe taking action to reduce their carbon footprint. Supermarkets are a large centre of consumption and high turnaround of materials, goods and waste – the perfect place to make change on a big scale.

In this article, we’ll explore the main ways that supermarket chains are altering how they operate to become more eco-friendly.

Refrigerated foods

Scrapping plastic bags

It was a step in the right direction when the government decided that all large shops must charge 5p for single use carrier bags. Some stores, such as Aldi and Asda, have pledged to take this one step further by eliminating single use plastic bags entirely, not even offering it as an option to shoppers. The aim of these charges and bans is to encourage the use of reusable bags for life, greatly reducing the circulation of plastic bags.

Cutting out cups and straws

Some supermarkets, such as Waitrose, are removing any single use plastic straws and disposable coffee cups across all stores. Asda has plans to replace coffee cups and straws with reusable alternatives to curb plastic waste and promote greener alternatives. These plastic throw-away items are devastating to the world’s oceans, and moves to stop their production and usage are at the forefront of many companies at the moment.

Selling flawed fruit

Not many of us mind a bruise on our fruit, and yet supermarkets throw away tonnes of edible fruit and veg each year because it’s not quite up to par. To bypass this, Lidl have begun to sell ‘Too Good to Waste’ boxes, which contain damaged fruit and vegetables for a reduced price. Since the scheme has launched, hundreds of tonnes of food has been saved from being wasted.

Paring down on packaging

Without a doubt, all food is overburdened by excess packaging – often to an unnecessary level. Some supermarkets have been recognising this, such as Iceland – they have trialled alternative packaging, including greengrocer bags, compostable containers, and other plastic-free options. The company aims to roll these alternatives out to all stores by 2023. Tesco have also claimed that they want their packaging to all be either recyclable or compostable by 2025, with other big names following suit.

Plastic bottle deposit schemes

When we’re grabbing our lunch on a day-to-day basis, we’re likely to get through lots of plastic bottles – unless we’re making a conscious choice to buy cartoned or canned drinks instead. Some supermarkets, such as Iceland, have launched a plastic bottle recycling scheme is selected stores, rewarding shoppers with small gift vouchers for any deposits.

Here at Brown Recycling, we’re committed to zero-to-waste landfill, and are dedicated to recycling 100% of the waste we collect. With over 80 years’ experience, you can count on our family-run business to take care of any amount of waste – on both a domestic and commercial level. For easy skip hire and waste management services across Staffordshire and beyond, get in touch today.

Posted in: News & General Interest Last updated: May 17th 2022 Author: Brown Recycling

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