Asda To Trial Re-Useable Packaging
UK retailing giant Asda has begun a trial of reusable packaging for fabric conditioner as it seeks to reduce further the amount of packaging it uses for its products.
The trial, which is being conducted at the retailers Barnsley store will see fabric conditioner being dispensed from a 1000 litre container, which is placed at the back of the store, that will pipe the conditioner to points located in the retail aisle.
The fabric conditioner will then be sold in reusable pouches that can be used as many as ten times, and will save shoppers 40 pence compared to traditional plastic bottles, as well as reducing the amount of packaging that is wasted.
Julian Walker-Palin, Asda’s head of corporate policy for sustainability and ethics, said: “Asda already leads the retail sector in packaging reduction and has reduced packaging on Asda products by 28 per cent since 2007. Our mantra at Asda is to make sustainability affordable for all and this project directly engages our customers on this by offering them a great product which not only has a lower packaging footprint but also has a lower price tag due to its reduced environmental footprint.”
Dr Richard Swannell, director of retail at the Waste &Resources Action Programme (WRAP), which is funding the trial, added: “Reusable packaging offers us an opportunity to fundamentally rethink the retail experience.”
“We have already seen positive responses from consumers in relation to carrier bag reuse and if this trial enjoys similar success, it could mark the start of a reusable revolution.”
Tesco To Trial Buy One Get One Free Later Program
As part of its drive to become more environmentally friendly, and cut down on food wastage Tesco is launching a two week trial of a “Buy One Get One Free Later” program.
The deal is applicable for four fruit and vegetable items including lettuce, salad, pineapple and melon.
Customers will now have the option of either collecting their second free item, on the same day of purchase or the following week, using a voucher will be issued during the checkout process.
The new program is part of a wider initiative by the retailer to offer its customers a large variety of low carbon choices, and convert the company into a zero carbon business by 2050.
Lucy Neville-Rolfe, Tesco’s executive director, said: “Customers really like our BOGOF deals but feedback shows smaller households sometimes can’t use the free product before its use by date.”
“Now we’re giving customers the flexibility to take advantage of the great value offer by claiming their free product the following week instead.”
“As well as giving our customers a flexible new offer, we’re helping them to cut food waste.”
“Last year, Tesco pledged not to send any waste to landfill and customers tell us they want to do their bit too.”
Fresh Produce Most Environmentally Friendly
A conference in Sweden discussing environmentally friendly produce production was told that fresh produce is amongst the most environment friendly foods available.
The conference was organized by the Swedish European Union presidency and was held as part of the build up to the Copenhagen UN Climate Change Conference.
Delegates to the conference made the point that fresh produce generates a smaller average carbon footprint than foods such as cheese meat and coffee.
Data from a study conducted in 2002 suggests that the average carbon emission resulting from a kilogram of fresh green vegetables was 1.67 Kg compared with 19.30 Kg per kilogram of beef.
Delegates acknowledged that much of the carbon emissions associated with food production are as a result of transportation, and that improvements could be made to the supply chain.Currently, 25-30% of total consumption related to greenhouse gas emissions are estimated to come from farm-to-fork food production.
Click Here To Buy Fresh Produce Online From Asda
British Supermarkets Achieve 5.1 Billion Cut In Plastic Bag Usage
The top UK retailers and supermarket chains have reduced the number of plastic bags they use by nearly 5.1 billion a year.
Last year a retail group comprising seven supermarket chains signed up voluntarily, to an initiative designed to reduce their impact on the environment, through the reduction of single-use carrier bags, by half the amount that were used in 2006.
Asda, Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, the Co-op, Somerfield and Marks and Spencer between them, slashed the number of bags handed out each month to customers by 48 per cent, from 870 million distributed monthly in 2006 to 452 million distributed monthly last year, just short of a full fifty per cent reduction.
Between them, supermarkets used schemes such as levying charges for plastic carrier bags and providing customers incentives for bringing re-usable bags, enabling the retailers to become more eco-friendly.
The reduction in usage of bags has meant there has been a 56 per cent reduction in the amount of plastic used to manufacture the bags, and most impressive, 4,000 tonnes of less waste destined for landfills every month.
Director General of the British Retail Consortium, Stephen Robertson said the results were incredible given that supermarket sales had increased by 5 per cent a year during the course of the initiative.
“Changing customer habits on this scale, this quickly, isn’t easy. But it’s a huge testament to customers, who’ve switched to bags for life and cut bag usage. Hard working retail staff also deserve credit, as do supermarkets. “he said.
Environment Secretary Hilary Benn added: “This is a great achievement by the seven supermarkets and their customers and it shows that by working together, we really can change our bag habits.”
“The target of a 50 per cent reduction was only narrowly missed and retailers have really put a lot into this in the last six months.”
Environmentalists say plastic bags can take up to 1,000 years to disintegrate and pose threats to marine life, birds and other animals.
