Waste and recycling

Packaging

Our product packaging represents approximately 100,000 tonnes of consumer waste, and is an issue that particularly concerns our customers. Waitrose packaging designers are continually looking at ways to improve packaging performance and, where possible, reduce packaging weight. Waitrose is a signatory of the Courtauld Commitment, which was launched in July 2005 by the Government-funded Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP). By signing up to the Courtauld Commitment with 12 other leading retailers, we have made a public commitment to help WRAP explore the viability of new materials and eliminate packaging growth by 2008. Waitrose is already on track having reduced packaging consumption relative to sales by 33% since 2000.

Waitrose continually explores the environmental and technical feasibility of alternative materials, such as biodegradable packaging - in November 2004 for instance, we introduced a 100% biodegradable jute-based wine carrier bag with 20p from every sale donated to the Spiti Project, (a London-based charity supported by His Holiness the Dalai Lama that is helping to provide a school, medical facilities, educational scholarships and the installation of water pumps for villages in the remote Spiti region of the Himalayas.) Waitrose is also trialing alternative materials in its packaging - 50% of our organic range of produce is now available in degradable, biodegradable and compostable packaging. although we do have concerns about a complete conversion until we can fully assess the impact of these materials on product quality and can be assured the right facilities are available to deal with them.

Recycling

Waitrose has recycled packaging materials such as cardboard and plastic from its shops and distribution centres for more than 20 years. As part of our legal packaging obligation Waitrose spends almost £1 million a year to help recycle consumer packaging. We also encourage customer recycling and our Waitrose shops offer recycling facilities for customers where feasible, the only limiting factors being space or local collection arrangements. As part of our commitment to encouraging customer recycling we have recently introduced recycling points for plastic carrier bags in all Waitrose shops. Waitrose also supports a website (www.recyclenow.com) that enables consumers to identify their nearest recycling centre and importantly, the types of materials that may be recycled.

Food waste

Waitrose always aims to minimise food waste through accurate ordering - especially as 60% of its total waste is food - but where it arises, donating surplus food can offer a socially beneficial solution. Following a successful trial of the FareShare food donation scheme , Waitrose is rolling out food donation to shops where FareShare can provide a collection service. Donated food is redistributed to charities throughout the UK working with homeless and vulnerable people.

Plastic bags

Waitrose estimates that it gives away 250 million of the 9 billion free carrier bags handed out by UK retailers each year. Although a small percentage of the product packaging it handles each year, Waitrose is keen to reduce unnecessary bag use and was the first retailer to introduce a 'Bag for Life' in 1997. Sold to its customers for 10p, bags are replaced free of charge once worn out.

All returned bags are recycled into plaswood furniture, including children's activity benches, which Waitrose often donates to local community groups. Since the introduction of its Bags for Life, Waitrose has avoided the use of around 50 million carrier bags and 6,000 tonnes of packaging each year. Customers who register with Waitrose's Quick Check facility are also provided with free reusable Quick Check bags.

Despite the success of our Bags for Life, there are still many customers who use the free disposable carrier bags. To encourage them to switch, we regularly run 'Bag for Life' promotions and awareness campaigns in our stores, such as Waitrose's support for Government-funded agency WRAP's (Waste Resources and Action Programme) campaign 'Choose to Reuse'. We believe it will take a national campaign, supported by both retailers and the Government, to change people's habits. In February 2007, Waitrose and John Lewis signed up to the Government's Voluntary Code of Practice on Carrier Bags, which will see a number of major retailers working towards a shared objective with Government and WRAP to reduce the environmental impact of carrier bags. As a signatory, Waitrose and John Lewis have agreed to:

• Monitor the environmental impact of carrier bags and to agree a baseline figure from which to measure reduction
• Work with the above parties to reduce the overall environmental impact by 25% by the end of 2008
• Review experiences by the end of 2008 in order to determine steps to make a further reduction by 2010.

Recycling electrical and electronic equipment

For information click here.