Tesco customers can expect more loose fruit and vegetables on the shelves, as the supermarket urges suppliers to accelerate the removal of plastic from their products.
The UK’s largest supermarket aims to remove all plastic wrapping from five billion products by 2025.
Now the retail giant is asking suppliers to go further and faster in removing plastic where alternatives are possible.
As part of their 4Rs packaging strategy – Remove, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – Tesco wants to increase sales of loose or unpackaged products, such as fruit and vegetables.
They also aim to provide more products in reusable or refillable packaging – allowing consumers to bring their own containers into stores – whilst seeking a greater use of concentrates, which use less packaging.
The supermarket brought together suppliers at a sustainability event to discuss new ways to eliminate more plastic waste, as part of a drive to remove plastic packaging from five billion own brand and branded products by 2025.
Tesco established its 4Rs strategy in 2019 and claims to have since improved the packaging for more than 1,500 different products, removing 1.6 billion pieces of unnecessary plastic – including multipacks, additional lids, films, and bags – from its stores in the process.
Further detail on Tesco’s packaging strategy will be published later this summer but, with the 2025 deadline on the horizon, the supermarket admits that working closely with suppliers is key if they are to meet their target.
“We’ve already made progress to minimise the environmental impact of our packaging, but we know there is more we can do with suppliers on the issue of plastic waste,” said Sarah Bradbury, Tesco’s Group Quality Director.
“We’re bringing suppliers together to work solutions because we are determined to go further and accelerate our progress, with a focus on the areas of greatest impact.
“We’re really grateful for the support and partnership of our suppliers on this important agenda, and we look forward to sharing more detail on our packaging strategy in the months ahead.”
Image courtesy of Tesco.
