71% of our waste was recycled during 2006/07.   This included over 80% of our paper, cardboard and plastic.   Over the last seven years, our reuseable 'green trays' have helped us to replace the cardboard boxes and other packaging used to transport and display products.   In 2006/07, 224 million green tray trips wee made, saving over 132,000 tonnes of cardboard packaging.  

To reduce further waste we send to landfill, in July 2006 we started supplying surplus food from 35 stores to the charity Fare Share, which distributes it to the needy.   Our Elephant and Castle store in South London supplied over 200kg of food.   In 2006, Fare Share provided 3.3 million meals to 350 organisations.   Over the coming year we hope to supply Fare Share with surplus food from many more of our stores - initially around Bristol, Sunderland, Glasgow, Leeds and Aberdeen.   We are also continuing to explore the option of gasification to generate energy from the 120,000 tonnes of general waste produced each year.   We participated in WRAP's round table on food waste in 2006, and are also investing the viability of composting and anaerobic digestion.

Making our packaging more 'retail ready' is also a key strategic focus, particularly where this reduces overall waste.   For example, we are now using reusable plastic flower buckets as an alternative to cardboard packaging, saving 150 tonnes of cardboard.

Product packaging

In 2006 we carried out a packaging review, and developed guidance with WRAP on the principles of minimisation, reuse and recycling, which have been distributed to Tesco buyers and technical managers.   The guidance has already helped us to draw together new plans to reduce packaging on our 'hardline' products such as consumer electricals and toys, leading to reductions of up to 90% in the packaging used.

Over the last year, we have focused our efforts in the following areas:

Reducing the amount of materials used:

- Glass is the biggest single contributor to the packaging weight we pass on to our customers.  We have been leading a project with WRAP to reduce the amount of glass used in wine, spirits and beer packaging.   By challenging the industry to produce lighter weight wine bottles, we have reduced our annual glass usage by 2,600 tonnes from one single supplier, a 15% saving.   And by importing New World wines in bulk and bottling them in lightweight glass in the UK, we have saved an estimated 4,100 tonnes of carbon emissions.

- Packaging on produce has been reduced by 10,300 tonnes this year, through removing packaging such as liners where we could, reducing the types of packaging (trays, film and labels) and introducing reusable packaging such as collapsible and returnable crates.

- We have also been using 'best in class' data to ensure that our own-brand products use the lightest weight packaging currently available.

- By using one label instead of two to label clothes, we have halved cardboard use in this area.

Using recycled materials in our packaging:

- We are introducing a new tray for bakery products.   Made from 60-80% recycled plastic, it will divert at least 210 tonnes of plastic going into landfill each year.   The tray is also 100% recyclable where facilities exist.   A lack of available recyclate in the UK means we currently have to source it from Europe.   However, we hope that our own in-store recycling facilities will soon provide source material.

Making packaging more valuable to recycle:

- We have started using glued plastic labels on soft drinks bottles instead of paper.

Introducing compostable and degradable packaging:

- 20% of our Organics range is now in fully home-compostable packaging, with a further 60% in degradable packaging - converting 855 tonnes of plastic packaging.

We participated in WRAP's retail round table on biodegradable packaging in February 2007.

During the year, we collected data to understand how much of our packaging is recycled/recyclable/compostable/easily lightweighted in order to set clear targets.   In April 2007, we committed ourselves to reducing the amount of packaging on both branded and Tesco own-label products by 25% by 2010.

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Last updated 02/07/2007 | Copyright Tesco 2008