7 things you can recycle at Tesco as it rolls out soft plastic recycling in 170 stores

SHOPPERS can now return crisp packets, bread bags and cling film to Tesco stores to be recycled. These soft plastics are hard to recycle, can’t be put in your household recycling and usually end up in landfill. You can now return this plastic waste at new recycling points in nearly 200 Tesco stores. There are […]

SHOPPERS can now return crisp packets, bread bags and cling film to Tesco stores to be recycled.

These soft plastics are hard to recycle, can’t be put in your household recycling and usually end up in landfill.

You can now return this plastic waste at new recycling points in nearly 200 Tesco stores.

There are seven types of packaging you can return:

• cling film
• bread bags
• pet food pouches
• baby food pouches
• crisp packets
• salad bags
• fruit and veg packaging

Some types of plastic are harder to recycle than others and the softer plastic used for keeping food is one that’s rarely recycled.

They are not commonly recycled by your local council when you put out your rubbish and usually end up in landfill.

Tesco will take the used plastic for recycling and turn it into new packaging for other goods.

Some cheeses have already hit the Tesco shelves wrapped using the recycled plastic after a successful test in a handful of branches.

The supermarket will also work with the recycling industry on research for making the recycling of the plastic more widespread.

Sarah Bradbury, Tesco’s director of quality, said: “Trials have shown they are popular with customers, so we believe rolling them out at scale will have a real impact. 

“It is an absolute priority to remove and reduce as much plastic as possible and ensure everything we use is recycled and kept out of the environment.

“Where plastic serves an important purpose such as reducing food waste, these new recycling points make sure that every piece can be easily recycled.”

Tesco last year removed a billion pieces of plastic from its business and reduced the size of plastic packaging by 3,500 tonnes a year as part of its environmental efforts.

The stores where new recycling points are available are located in the south west of England and Wales.

The supermarket plans to roll the recycling facilities out to more locations across the country in future.

Michael Briggs, the head of sustainability at consumer group Which? said: “Our research has shown that almost half of grocery packaging used by supermarkets is not widely recyclable, so it is good to see Tesco widening its recycling facilities to help consumers dispose of packaging in a more sustainable way.”

He also called for recycling labels on food packaging to be made mandatory and clearer for people to understand “enabling shoppers to know exactly how to dispose of packaging on the products they consume” and reduce waste going to landfill.

Sainsbury’s started its own trial at some stores where shoppers can recycle packaging made from polypropylene film which includes salad bags and frozen food bag.

Meanwhile Walkers has nearly 4,000 locations across the country where you can take your crisp packets for recycling.

You can search for your nearest location here, and also find out what you can and can’t recycle in your household waste wherever you are.

You can now turn your old make up into money at Boots by recycling packaging.

The high street store is offering 500 free Advantage card points, which are worth £5, and all you have to do is return five empty products.