// Tesco plans to remove 1bn plastic pieces from UK stores by end of next year
// The initiative is part of Tesco’s “Four Rs” strategy – remove, reduce, reuse or recycle
Tesco has revealed plans to remove one billion pieces of plastic from products in its UK stores by the end of 2020.
The Big 4 leader is scrapping plastic trays from ready meals, secondary lids on products such as cream and yogurts, straws from drink cartons, forks from snack pots, and small plastic bags used to carry loose fruit and vegetables.
The initiative is part of Tesco’s “Four Rs” strategy – remove, reduce, reuse or recycle – to scrap all non-recyclable and excess packaging.
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In August, Tesco was in talks with 1500 of its suppliers about the initiative, and is now working with them to provide alternatives to hard-to-recycle plastics.
Tesco is also urging the government to introduce national infrastructure for recycling and has offered to help by handing over car parking space for recycling.
“Our work to remove, reduce, reuse and recycle is already transforming our packaging. Over the next 12 months, we will remove one billion pieces of plastic, further reducing the environmental impact of the products we sell,” Tesco chief executive Dave Lewis said.
“By focusing on solutions that we can apply across all our UK stores and supply chain, we can make a significant difference and achieve real scale in our efforts to tackle plastic.”
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