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Amazon under fire for new packaging that cannot be recycled

Amazon has been criticised by environmental groups and customers after introducing a range of plastic packaging that cannot be recycled in the UK.

the Co-op notes that 156 English councils (48%) do not have kerbside food waste collections

Co-op lobbies for universal local food waste collection systems

The Co-op has called for the UK Government and local authorities to accelerate the introduction of a universal food waste collection process, claiming that the move could stop more than 350,000 tonnes of food waste being sent to landfill in England alone.

Lidl has described its "Green Bags" as an "affordable, reusable alternative" to single-use small fruit and vegetable bags. Image: Lidl UK

Lidl rolls out reusable produce bags to cut plastics

Lidl has begun selling reusable bags for consumers to put their loose fruit and vegetables in, in what the firm claims is a first for a UK supermarket.

The 5p charge has been widely attributed to a drop in plastic bag pollution on UK coastlines

Four years on: How have supermarkets responded to the 5p plastic bag charge?

The UK Government published its annual figures on single-use plastic bag sales last week, revealing that distribution by large retailers has fallen 90% since the 5p charge was introduced. But exactly what role have supermarkets played in that transition?

Both trials will last six months, with consumer attitudes and purchasing data to be analysed throughout

Iceland to trial UK's first major plastic-bag-free store

Frozen food retailer Iceland is trailing the removal of all plastic bags from one of its stores, replacing them altogether with "extra-strong" paper bags.

The new bags will be introduced across all of Fast Retailing's 12 global markets by 1 September

Uniqlo to phase out plastic bags

Fashion retailer Uniqlo's parent company Fast Retailing is set to remove single-use plastic bags from its brands, replacing them with reusable and paper alternatives.

The packs could be rolled out nationwide if the trial proves successful

Aldi to remove plastic packaging from toilet roll packs

Aldi could save more than 900 tonnes of plastic each year, after announcing trials to remove plastic packaging from toilet roll packs at 174 stores across the UK.

WRAP claimed that the move aligns with the UK Government’s ban on items such as straws, drink stirrers and cotton buds

Businesses commit to phase-out eight 'problem plastics' by 2020

Companies signed up to the UK Plastic Pact have committed to removing eight "problem plastics" by 2020, including cutlery, cotton buds and polystyrene packaging, but the decision has sparked calls that self-regulated efforts won't be sufficient enough to avert plastics pollution.

Water-based inks are also used so that the bags can be recycled at home

Boots switches to paper bags across UK stores

Boots has become the first UK national pharmacy, health and beauty retailer to phase-out single-use plastic bags, having today (24 June) switched to brown paper bags.

Aldi has pledged to ensure all packaging on its own-label is reusable, recyclable or compostable before 2022

Naked vegetables: Aldi extends plastic-free fresh produce trial to England

Aldi UK is extending a trial of removing plastic packaging from fresh vegetable lines to parts of England, after a pilot programme in Scotland reduced more than three tonnes of plastic.

Fujitsu to phase out plastic cups, straws, bottles and bags

Multinational IT equipment and services giant Fujitsu has unveiled a sweeping new set of plastics reduction pledges, covering bags, drinks bottles, cups, straws and other packaging.

The switch will be made immediately for produce aisles, and by September for in-store bakeries

Sainsbury's removes plastic bags from produce and bakery aisles

Sainsbury's has pledged to remove all single-use plastic bags from its fruit, vegetable and produce lines by September, in what it claims will be a first for a UK supermarket.

127 produce lines will be sold loose under the programme

Morrisons rolls out plastic-free fruit and veg offering nationwide

Supermarket giant Morrisons will roll out packaging-free fruit and veg across 60 of its UK stores this summer, following a successful trial at three of its stores.

Asda has also taken steps to make its plastic packaging more recyclable

Asda removes 6,500 tonnes of plastic from own-brand packaging

UK supermarket Asda has removed 6,500 tonnes of plastic from its own brand packaging over the last 12 months, the equivalent weight of around 600 million empty plastic bottles.

Lidl will assess the trial’s environmental impact and also the response of customers prior to making any final decision on the scheme

Lidl to trial removal of all plastic bags at Welsh stores

Plans have been announced by supermarket retailer Lidl to remove all 9p plastic bags from its stores in Wales.

The trial will run across eight of Morrisons' stores, until April

Morrisons tests customer appetite for plastic-free shopping in paper bag trial

Supermarket giant Morrisons has this week launched a trial of US-style paper grocery bags, in a bid to gauge consumer attitudes to plastic-free options at the checkout.

Customers are being encouraged to use the compostable bags to line their food waste caddies

Co-op commences plastic bag switch with compostable alternatives at 1,000 stores

The Co-op has kickstarted a phase out single-use plastic bags from more than 1,000 of its UK stores, replacing them with compostable alternatives.

This weekly round-up explores how businesses and nations across the world are ramping up efforts across all areas of sustainable development

Science-based targets and 'smart' mobility centres: The sustainability success stories of the week

As part of our Mission Possible campaign, edie brings you this weekly round-up of five of the best sustainability success stories of the week from across the globe.

edie spoke with Ferguson as the Co-op launched its new Future of Food ethical strategy

Why Co-op hasn't signed up to the UK Plastics Pact

EXCLUSIVE: The Co-op is one of the two major supermarkets yet to commit to WRAP's collaborative agreement to tackle single-use plastics, but the company's environment manager Iain Ferguson believes that an "enterprising" approach to innovation will enable the retailer to rethink approaches to packaging.

At present, just 43% of the 13 billion plastic bottles sold each year in the UK are recycled, and 700,000 are littered every day

Tesco offers money for plastic bottles in reverse vending trials

Tesco has announced that it will trial in-store reverse vending machines for plastic bottles, as it calls on the UK Government to introduce a nation-wide approach to recycling.

Ryan McDonnell, Lidl’s commercial board director, said the “significant move away from black plastic demonstrates our dedication to tackling this important topic”

Lidl to stop using black plastic fruit and vegetable packaging

Lidl UK says it will remove black plastic from its entire fruit and vegetable range by the end of the month.

The move is aimed at encouraging customers to use reusable bags for life or fabric alternatives

Waitrose to use home-compostable bags in produce aisles and phase-out 5p carrier bags

Waitrose & Partners has announced that it will stop offering single-use plastic bags in its fruit and vegetable aisles and remove 5p carrier bags from its stores, a move that will cut its plastic usage by 134 million bags each year.

Iceland ditches plastic for pre-packed bananas

Frozen food retailer Iceland is switching the packaging for its pre-packed bananas from plastic to a paper band that is 100% recyclable and made from recycled paper, in a move that will save 10 million plastic bags from being used by the company annually.

The Snap Pack was the headline announced in a plethora of packaging solutions unveiled at Carlsberg’s Copenhagen brewery

'Snap Packs' and greener ink: Carlsberg unveils new packaging solutions designed to reduce waste

Danish brewer Carlsberg is set to reduce its global packaging waste by more than 1,200 tonnes annually, after launching new Snap Pack multi-packs for branded beers alongside a host of other closed-loop packaging renovations.

Since the 5p charge was introduced in 2015, the average consumer now buys 121 fewer bags each year

UK plastic bag charge set to double to 10p

The Government has confirmed that it will launch a consultation on whether the nation's current charge for single-use plastic carrier bags should be doubled to 10p and rolled out to every shop in the country.

The launch comes after an Iceland survey revealed that the majority of customers now avoid food and drink products made with synthetic ingredients

Iceland launches plastic-free chewing gum in UK first

Frozen food giant Iceland has today (August 1) launched a range of plastic-free chewing gum, making it the first supermarket in the UK to offer a biodegradable alternative.

A dramatic drop in the number of bags sold by the UK's biggest supermarkets has been attributed to a sharp fall in marine litter

Sustainable shopping: How are UK supermarkets tackling plastic pollution?

Whether it's products containing microbeads, items sold in unnecessary single-use packaging, or consumers opting for plastic bags at the checkout, Britain's supermarkets are at the epicentre of the plastics problem. Here, edie examines the new actions retailers are taking to reduce avoidable plastic waste.

The new paper bags will cost the same amount as a bag for life

Iceland tests customer appetite for tackling plastic waste with paper bag trials

Frozen food giant Iceland has this week launched a paper bag trial, in a bid to reduce its plastics output and find out whether customers are willing to ditch plastic carrier bags at the checkout.

Morrisons claims its alternative paper produce bags will be 100% recyclable and biodegradable

Morrisons rolls out paper bags in produce aisles to cut plastic waste

Supermarket chain Morrisons has announced that it will stop offering single-use plastic bags in its fruit and vegetable aisles, in a bid to cut its plastic output by 150 million bags each year.

edie Explains: Electric vehicles

This brand new edie Explains guide breaks down everything there is to know about deploying electric vehicles (EVs) across your business fleet.

This round-up looks at seven nations that are implementing bold regulatory changes to reduce the amount of plastic seeping into the environment

World Environment Day: Seven countries leading the charge on plastics pollution

Today (5 June) marks World Environment Day, the UN’s global vehicle to inspire action on a plethora of pressing environmental issues, notably plastics pollution. Here, edie scans the globe to see how nations are putting an end to certain types of plastic.

Plastic coffee cup lids and plastic cutlery will be substituted, cutting a total of more than 1.1 million pieces of single-use plastic from Parliamentary waste

Parliament vows to 'eliminate' single-use plastics from operations by 2019

Parliament has today announced its goal to "virtually eliminate" single-use plastics from its internal operations by 2019, by taking measures such as phasing out sauce sachets, banning the sale of single-use water bottles and introducing a "latte levy" on disposable coffee cups.

Wimbledon announces ban on plastic straws for 2018 championship

The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) has announced it will use recyclable paper straws for the 2018 Wimbledon tournament, in a bid to prevent more than 400,000 plastic straws going to landfill.

Theresa May outlines plan to ban plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds

Prime Minister Theresa May has announced that a consultation will take place later this year to prepare England for a national ban on plastic straws, drink stirrers and plastic-stemmed cotton buds.

Globally around 8m tonnes of plastics enters the marine environment every year

Drop in plastic bags littering British seas linked to introduction of 5p charge

A big drop in plastic bags found in the seas around Britain has been credited to the introduction of charges for plastic bags across Europe.

Lidl UK joins the likes of Tesco, Co-op, Iceland and Aldi in publicly backing a deposit return scheme for plastic containers

Lidl UK exploring deposit return scheme as part of plastic waste commitment

Lidl UK has today (9 March) unveiled a package of new commitments to reduce plastic waste, including plans to remove all single-use plastic bags, reduce the quantity of plastic packaging by one-fifth and consider a deposit return scheme for plastic containers.

Morrisons follows rivals in pledge to phase out single-use plastic bags

Morrisons has become the last of the big four UK supermarket chains to commit to remove 5p single-use plastic carrier bags from its stores.

Plastics: We're at war with the symptoms, not the cause

Theresa May's call to eliminate all "avoidable" plastic waste within the next 25 years is a step in the right direction, but also follows a growing trend that ignores the remedies needed in the value chain of the UK's resource efficiency ambitions.

Two serious throwaway culture issues for Theresa May beyond plastic bags

The UK government's new 25 year plan for the environment (25 YEP) leads with the planned extension of the plastic bag tax and the need to tackle plastic waste in what Theresa May calls our "Throwaway Culture".

Solving the ocean plastics blight - a systems approach

A storm of heightened awareness and indignation around pervasive plastic pollution has swelled over the past month. With recent mass coverage, namely Blue Planet II and Sky's A Plastic Ocean, the drive to save our oceans from a toxic, chemical-infused future has never been more potent.

Nearly eight million metric tonnes of plastic packaging weight – equivalent to the weight of 2,000 Eiffel Towers – ends up in the oceans each year

Plastic packaging: Are producers ready for their 'diesel moment'?

As CDP's new report warns that "rapid process innovations" are needed to help the chemical sector align to the goals of the Paris Agreement, the organisation's head of investor research Carole Ferguson tells edie that plastic packaging is on the cusp of regulatory and consumer backlash.

Tesco criticised for deducting £3.4m from plastic bag tax charity donations

Millions of pounds in administration costs were deducted from the charitable donations made by Tesco using funds generated from the plastic bag tax, government data has revealed. No other major supermarket made any such deductions, leading senior MPs to urge Tesco to follow their lead.

Surfdome's head of sustainability Adam Hall is among the expert speakers that will appear on stage at edie's Responsible Retail conference in September

Plastic packaging: Are retailers ready to face the elephant in the room?

Britain's retailers must address "the elephant in the room" that is the use of polyethene plastic for the delivery of products to and from stores, the head of sustainability at outdoor clothing company Surfdome has told edie.

Tesco to scrap single-use carrier bags in favour of 'bag for life'

The UK's largest supermarket group is replacing all of its 5p single-use carrier bags – which it sold more than 600 million of last year – with a new 10p 'bag for life' made from 94% recycled plastic.

England bowlers Moeen Ali and Stuart Broad are supporting the Sky Ocean Rescue initiative, which is encouraging consumers to reduce the use of single-use plastics

Sky partners with Oval cricket ground to raise awareness of ocean plastic pollution

Broadcasting company Sky is taking its Ocean Rescue sustainability campaign to the world of cricket by forming a partnership with the Kia Oval stadium, which will see refillable water bottles handed out to fans during England's match against South Africa this week.

England's seven major retailers sold six billion fewer single-use plastic bags in 2016-17 compared with 2014-15 - an 83% drop in usage

Plastic bag charge: 10 fascinating facts about the scheme's sustainability success

With new Government figures revealing an 83% reduction in single-use carrier bag sales since the instruction of a 5p charge in England, edie delves deep into the data to bring you 10 facts and statistics that you probably didn't know about the scheme and its effects.

#BreakFreeFromPlastic: Yes we can (recycle plastic bags)

On International Plastic Bag Free Day (3 July), let's consider the facts: the UK is still addicted to plastic bags. Even after the 5p charge was implemented in October 2015, supermarkets still sold 640 million plastic bags in just six months.

Why food and packaging waste is often a hidden behavioural problem

The cost of coffee cup disposal is considerable and at the University there is confusion over whether cups can be placed in recyclable or non-recyclable bins - which leads to contamination of waste streams.

Select Tesco stores will sell only reusable bags in a 10-week trial that could lead to the single-use bags being phased out in all of its stores

Tesco to trial a phase-out of single-use 5p plastic bags

Shoppers at a handful of Tesco stores in the UK will no longer be able to buy 5p "single-use" plastic carrier bags, in the first such trial by a supermarket.

A capitalist agenda based on unbound profitability is being challenged by a new wave of economies focused on sustainable and responsible growth

Sustainability megatrends: Realising the business case for sustainable economic growth

edie's series of exclusive thought-leadership articles on the global impact of megatrends culminates with New Climate Economy's programme director Helen Mountford exploring how businesses and governments are developing more sustainable models of economic growth that are fit for the future.

Compost, degrade, recycle: the truth about plastic bags

There is obviously a lot of confusion around the materials plastic shopping bags are made from and the compostability, biodegradability and recyclability of them.

Three degrees of plastic bags and how they degrade

The claims and reality about plastic bags..... the reality is more positive than you might think, BUT as companies fight it out over their green credentials, we (consumers trying to do the best thing) and the environment suffer.

10 top tips to drive engagement with your CSR report

What are the key components required to produce a sustainability report which drives engagement on a range of CSR issues among key stakeholders? edie brings you the secrets to sustainability reporting success with this latest top-tips guide for businesses.

In the UK, the number of plastic shopping bags handed out by retailers in England dropped from seven billion to just over half a billion within six months after the 5p charge was created

Plastic bag take-back: the next step towards a circular economy?

Plastic bag use is expected to fall significantly in Sweden after an innovative take-back trial conducted by Nottingham Trent University led to an 80% drop in consumer usage.

There are estimated to be 5tn pieces of plastic floating in the world’s seas

Tesco and Sainsbury's ban plastic cotton buds to cut waste

The UK's two largest supermarket chains have committed to end the sale of cotton buds with plastic stems, which are the most common litter from toilets flushed on to the country's beaches.

It emerged earlier this year that only one in 400 coffee cups are recycled because they are made of a difficult to recycle mix of paper and plastic

Ministers reject calls for charge on UK's disposable coffee cups

Ministers have rejected calls for a charge on the 2.5 billion disposable coffee cups thrown away each year because they believe coffee shop chains are already taking enough action to cut down waste.

Research has revealed that the overwhelming majority of the English population now carry their own bags when food shopping following the charge roll-out

Tesco's single-use carrier bag numbers drop by 1.5 billion

On the first anniversary of the carrier bag charge roll-out, UK supermarket giant Tesco has revealed that more than 1.5 billion single-use carrier bags have been saved by its customers in England since the levy's introduction.

The research shows a growth from 51% to 62% in support in England for the carrier bag charge since it was introduced

England sees surge in shoppers using their own carrier bags

The overwhelming majority of the English population now carry their own bags when food shopping following the introduction of the 5p carrier bag charge a year ago, new research has revealed.

The number of plastic shopping bags handed out by retailers in England has dropped from seven billion to just over half a billion within six months

Lidl pledges to remove single-use plastic carrier bags

German discount supermarket chain Lidl UK has today (28 September) pledged to remove single-use plastic carrier bags from sale across all stores in England, Scotland and Wales.