Can plastic-free shopping be successful?
Morrisons, one of the UK's largest supermarkets, has become the first British supermarket to roll-out plastic free fruit and veg areas in many of its stores.
Morrisons is to roll-out plastic free fruit and veg areas in many of its stores. It will be the first, major British supermarket to make loose produce widely available since the move away from excessive packaging in the UK. Customers will be able to choose from up to 127 varieties of fruit and veg – and buy them loose or put them in recyclable paper bags.
From carrots to kiwis
Tomatoes, avocados, bell peppers, mushrooms, mangos, and kiwis are just a few of the 127 types of produce that will be free of plastic packaging. The move follows a 10-month trial in three Morrisons stores in Skipton, Guiseley, and St Ives, where the amount of loose fruit and veg bought by customers increased by an average of 40%.
Buy bagless
The new 'buy bagless' fruit and veg shelves are expected to result in a similar switch from bagged to loose produce. This could result in an estimated three tonnes of plastic saved per week, which equates to 156 tonnes a year. Morrisons has roughly 500 UK stores, and the programme's rollout will continue beyond the 60 branches planned for this year, into 2020.
This story shows how Morrisons supports Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, specifically Target 12.5: "By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse."
About Morrisons
Founded in 1899 by William Morrison, Morrisons began as an egg and butter stall in Rawson Market, Bradford, England. It is now one of the largest supermarket chains in the UK, employs 110,000 employees, and serves around 11 million customers each week.
Learn more about Morrisons.