SHOPPERS across the region will now be able to bring soft plastic packaging for recycling at all of Tesco’s large stores, the retailer has announced today.

The move comes after a successful trail of recycling points across 171 stores allowing customers plastics such as bread, salad and vegetable bags as well as crisp packets and sweet wrappers.

READ MORE: WEATHER: Region set to be treated to higher temperatures over the next two days

Tesco have said 85% of customers at trial stores in Wales and South West England said it helped them recycle more than they would otherwise have done.

Shoppers also liked the convenience of combining recycling with their shop.

Soft plastic packaging such as clear film to wrap meat and fish, crisp packets and fruit and veg bags are not commonly collected by local councils so it usually goes into the general waste bin.

Once collected by Tesco, the old soft plastic is sent for recycling, where it is washed, sorted and as much material as possible is recycled into new products and packaging.

The retailer said that in a recent sampling it was able to recover more then 80% of plastic returned by customers and is now working with recyclers to see what can be done about the remainder 20% which is sent for incineration to be used for energy.

READ MORE: 60 year-old knocked off bike and suffers head injury by car that failed to stop

The retailer hopes to recycle 1,000 tonnes of plastic a year with the roll-out of these new collection points.

Tesco’s director of quality, Sarah Bradbury, said: “We’re tackling the impact of plastics by removing and reducing it as much as possible, helping customers move to reusable alternatives, and ensuring they can recycle everything that’s left.

“I’m delighted that we’re rolling out collection points to the whole of the country so even more customers can help us stop plastic from going to waste.”

Marcus Gover, chief executive of sustainable resource use charity, Wrap, said: “As little as 6% of this problematic plastic is collected and recycled in the UK, despite making up nearly a quarter of all plastic packaging by weight.

READ MORE: Top 10 things to do in North Yorkshire according to TripAdvisor - been to any?

“By offering shoppers a simple and consistent collections system Tesco is helping to ensure that much more of this problem plastic is captured and goes on to be recycled.”

-------

Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

You can also follow our dedicated North Yorkshire Facebook page for all the latest in the area by clicking here.

For all the top news updates from right across the region straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.

Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on newsdesk@nne.co.uk or contact 01325 505054