The Co-op has become the first retailer to introduce recyclable pizza packaging.
The packaging launched with anew TV advert entitled Pizza and Plastics, created by Lucky Generals.
It tells the story of how Co-opreplaced polystyrene pizza discs with corrugated cardboard across all of its own brand pizzas, preventing 200 tonnes of waste – the company says.
The corrugated cardboard pizza discs were first launched on the market by Co-op, manufactured by Stateside, with other retailers since following suit.
The Co-op says it aims to remove “hidden plastic and unnecessary packaging”.
We continue to innovate in this area and reducing the environmental impact of products is and always has been at the core of Co-op
The move is in addition to its more recent announcement that it would use only 100% recyclable packaging by the summer of 2020 which will include everything from ready meal trays, crisps packets, to sandwich cartons and film that is found to cover pizzas.
Ali Jones, Customer Director at Co-op said: “We continue to innovate in this area and reducing the environmental impact of products is and always has been at the core of Co-op.
“We’re committed in helping our members and customers to help to make a difference to the world and we want to encourage communities to come together and look after the planet and spaces around us.”
The Co-op says its move to use only 100% recyclable packaging will be facilitated by the “largest ever UK-wide scheme” to recycle plastic film, which local councils do not presently collect for recycling.
The Co-op makes over 750 million pieces of plastic film each year and will make it easy to recycle by developing its own national collection programme for the material, which is set to roll out this summer.
