Morrisons has launched new product labels that instruct customers to recycle packaging materials of 400 products in store.

Plastic materials which cannot be placed in roadside recycling bins can now be returned to stores for processing.

The new logos displayed on the front and clear instructions printed at the back will help customers differentiate between plastics that can be recycled at home and those that need to be brought to the store, such as plastic banana and bread bags. 

The new packaging scheme with instructions to ‘recycle’, ‘reuse’ or ‘recycle to store’ was unveiled at the supermarket’s Catcliffe store in South Yorkshire.

Morrisons has trialled the labels on 400 products that account for over 500 million items sold by the supermarket per year.

The initiative was launched based on a new study that indicated 66% of customers are unaware of how to effectively dispose of plastic wrapping material.

Natasha Cook, Morrisons’ packaging supervisor, said: “Our customers tell us they want us to reduce packaging, and where we can’t remove it they want to recycle it.

“So we are putting clear icons on the front of 400 popular purchases – and inviting customers to bring back packaging they can’t recycle at home.

“The new clear ‘at-a-glance’ labels on the back of our packaging is also designed to help our customers recycle – whether pots, tubs, trays, bags, film, bottles or glass.”

The supermarket has installed large recycling bins at its storefront to enable customers to drop their packaging material on their next visit.

Morrisons said it will process the collected plastic into recyclable carrier bags and bin bags for further use.

The move follows up the company’s pledge to reduce its environmental impact and do away with non degradable plastic packaging from its own brand goods in the next five years.

• Read: Morrisons is the first UK supermarket to ban plastic fruit packaging

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