Co-op switches to 50% recycled plastic bottles for own brand water
The Co-op has unveiled plans to switch all of its bottled water to 50% recycled plastic.
The bottles, themselves 100% recyclable and sourced in the UK, appear darker, greyer and cloudier than those using less or no recycled plastic. As a result, the retailer will be “testing the water” with the bottles to gauge how popular they are with shoppers.
The Co-op estimates that it can save almost 350 tonnes of plastic annually when it makes the change on all of its own brand still, sparkling and flavoured water later this year.
Earlier this year, the Co-op confirmed that it was in favour of the creation of a deposit return scheme to increase the overall recycling of packaging.
Iain Ferguson, Co-op environment manager, said: “Suppliers are working hard to make the bottle clearer – in the meantime, our bottles will wear this greyish colour which I see as a ‘badge of honour’ – we are part of the market for recycled products, and we are proud of that. We’re also very pleased that plans for the proposed deposit return scheme have been formally unveiled.”
The move is in line with the Co-op’s ambition to make all of its product packaging easily recyclable.
