Lucozade to axe ‘double plastic’ on its bottles

CONTROVERSIAL ‘double plastic’ Lucozade bottles are to be scrapped after the drinks firm was shamed by MPs.

Lucozade has been named among the biggest ‘villains’ for causing recycling problems.

The plastic film or sleeve wrapped around the sports drink bottles ends up in landfill, experts say, because it cannot be recycled at most waste processing centres.

Now the manufacturer of Lucozade has bowed to public pressure and says that its bottles will be changed.

The move comes after Mary Creagh, chairman of the Environmental Audit Committee, called the use of the unrecyclable plastic ‘an absurdity’.

The committee heard this week that only 57 per cent of the 30billion plastic bottles used by UK households each year are recycled, with the rest going to landfill.

A spokesman for Lucozade Ribena Suntory said yesterday that it will ‘address the plastic sleeve’, with possible solutions including removing it completely or making it smaller. The change is likely to happen next year.