Tesco launches plastic-free trial for fruit and veg

Tesco has launched a trial to remove some plastic wrapped fruit and vegetable products from its stores in a bid to cut down on packaging waste.

Britain’s biggest retailer said the month-long pilot would be run at two of its Extra stores in Watford and Swindon.

The trial will involve removing plastic packaging from 45 foods, including apples, onions, mushrooms, peppers, bananas and avocados, where loose alternatives are available.

It follows Tesco’s announcement last year that it would ban hard-to-recycle plastic packaging by 2019 and make all packaging fully recyclable by 2025.

Tesco’s Director of Quality Sarah Bradbury said: “We want to remove as much plastic as we can from our products, only using what is necessary to protect and preserve our food.

“We hope this trial proves popular with customers. We’ll be keeping a close eye on the results, including any impact on food waste.

“Whatever happens, we’re going to keep reducing the amount of packaging we use and ensure everything on our shelves is fully recyclable.”

Consumers have increasingly demanded change from big retailers to help tackle the plastic pollution crisis. Big supermarkets are responsible for producing more than 800,000 tonnes of plastic packaging waste each year.