Tesco pledges to slash its plastic packaging

In yet ANOTHER victory for the Mail’s campaign...

PVC wrapping on foods as well as polystyrene pizza bases and yoghurt pots are to be pulled from supermarket shelves in a new attack on ‘plastic poison’.

The move by Tesco is part of a wider move against throwaway plastic packaging in what green campaigners say could be a ‘game-changer’.

Britain’s biggest supermarket has announced a new initiative to dramatically reduce the amount of plastic used in its own-label products by the end of next year.

The PVC stretch film used on punnets of mushrooms, some cooked meats and some sausages will be replaced by polyethylene film. Polystyrene bases used on pizzas will be swapped for cardboard. Those yoghurt pots that are made from polystyrene will be replaced with plastic that can be recycled.

The company said it is working with suppliers to remove all plastic packaging that is hard to recycle from own label products by the end of 2019.

This is likely to mean that black plastic trays used in ready meals, fish, meat and some produce will have to go because they are not easily recycled.

It seems likely laminate pouches used for some pet food and baby food will also have to be replaced. Tesco has signalled a move towards sustainably sourced wood pulp packaging, cardboard, paper, glass, steel and aluminium.

It will continue to use certain plastics that can be easily collected and recycled.

Tesco has also joined a growing number of industry leaders supporting the introduction of a deposit and return scheme for drinks bottles and cans.

The Daily Mail has led calls to stop plastic pollution with its Turn the Tide on Plastic campaign, which has highlighted the threat posed to the environment, wildlife and the oceans.

Tesco says it will not switch to a new generation of plant-based water soluble bioplastics or oxy degradable plastics. These break down but leave behind tiny particles that are potentially harmful to the environment and wildlife.

Greenpeace welcomed the initiative but pointed out that Tesco is still behind Iceland on tackling the issue. Iceland has pledged to remove all plastic from its own label products by 2023.

Elena Polisano, of Greenpeace UK, said: ‘Tesco could be a gamechanger on plastic packaging. By pledging to eliminate some of the plastics that are difficult to recycle, it has raised the bar for action on problem plastics.’

As well as replacing plastic, Tesco is campaigning for the UK to adopt a ‘closed loop system’ on packaging where everything that is used is collected and recycled.

Its chief product officer, Jason Tarry, said: ‘We are committed to reducing the total amount of packaging across our business.’