// Tesco will trial plastic-free fruit & veg selection for a month
// The Big 4 retailer aims to cut down on packaging waste
// Loose versions of 45 products will be sold in Tesco Extra stores in Watford and Swindon
Tesco has announced a month-long trial of the removal of its plastic-wrapped fruits and vegetables from Monday in a bid to reduce the waste from packaging.
Loose versions of 45 different products such as apples, onions, mushrooms and peppers will be sold in Tesco Extra stores in Watford and Swindon.
The retailer announced last year that it would ban hard-to-recycle plastic packaging by 2019 and make all packaging recyclable by 2025.
Meanwhile, large supermarkets are currently accountable for producing over 800,000 tonnes of plastic packaging waste each year while consumers have increasingly demanded for sustainability.
“We hope this trial proves popular with customers. We’ll be keeping a close eye on the results, including any impact on food waste,” Tesco director of quality Sarah Bradbury said.
Just recently, Burberry pledged to end plastic use by 2025, while Asda reported it had removed 6500 tonnes of plastic packaging in the past year.
Click here to sign up to Retail Gazette‘s free daily email newsletter
