Tesco Tests Plastic-Free in Produce Aisle

Plastic use continues to plague our planet,  with 40 percent only being used once before ending up in our landfills, waterways and oceans. The use of plastic in products and packaging has become a critical concern for companies, consumers and other stakeholders alike. In fact, the issue continues to gain traction – in 2018, Cone named it one of our top 10 trends of the year. Companies of all shapes and sizes are making major commitments and innovations to solve for the growing problem – from biodegradable, plastic-free hair ties to food wrapped in banana leaves as a plastic alternative.  Now one company will be test-driving the bold move of going plastic-free.

This week, U.K. grocery chain Tesco announced it will be going plastic-free in the produce aisle. The retailer, the largest in Britain, explains it will remove some plastic that fruits and vegetables were previously wrapped in, in an effort to reduce overall plastic use. The decision will impact 45 fruits and vegetables, including bananas, avocados, onions and peppers, and will be tested in a month-long pilot in two stores in the U.K. The move also ladders up to the company’s announcement last year that it would ban non-recyclable plastic packaging by 2019 and make all packaging fully recyclable by 2025.

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