Asda will scrap single-use plastic bags and award £10,000 to new plastic reduction ideas, it was announced today.
The supermarket giant said the 5p bag will be replaced by reusable carrier bags by the end of 2018, in a report released called “Plastic Unwrapped”.
The move follows Iceland's recent pledge to eliminate plastic from its own-label range by 2023 and a subsequent Waitrose promise to remove non-recyclable black plastic from its own-brand fresh produce by the end of 2018.
Asda claims it is the first of the big four retailers to provide a detailed strategy for plastic reduction, following Prime Minister Theresa May’s January speech calling for plastic-free supermarket aisles.
Asda chief executive, Roger Burnley said: “I truly believe that when you serve 18 million people each week and have the ability to make a difference to them, you should do it.
“I want Asda’s customers to know that they can trust us to take the lead on the issues that really matter to them. So we have challenged ourselves to look at what more we can do to reduce the amount of plastic in our business, and within our industry as a whole.”
The supermarket also committed to removing 10 per cent of plastic from its own brand packaging in the next 12 months and offered £10,000 awards for ideas that help tackle plastic waste problems.
They further promised to remove all single use cups and cutlery from its stores by the end of 2019 and to make all their own brand packaging fully recyclable by 2025.
Their pizza products will also start using cardboard protective bases instead of polystyrene and they will switch to using clear plastics when possible.
Since the 5p plastic bag tax was introduced in 2015 the UK has used nine billion less plastic bags, with Tesco also scrapping single use carrier bags in August last year.
Burnley added: “Our logic is to remove plastic wherever we can, and where it is required, to make it as recyclable as possible.”
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