Tesco pledges waste reduction

Supermarket giant Tesco has become the latest retailer to pledge an ambitious reduction in packaging waste, with a commitment to trim volumes by a quarter before the end of 2010.

Working with roster design consultancies, the retailer is also to label products to show whether they can be reused, recycled or composted. This process should be completed by next year.

The news follows the recent appointment of Alyson Jakes as head of design. She replaces Jeremy Lindley, who quit last August.

The Waste and Resources Action Programme has welcomed the group’s pledge, and says that although the targets are ambitious, it is the type of ‘challenging action that Wrap’s Courtauld Commitment was designed to achieve’, according to the organisation’s chief executive Dr Liz Goodwin.

Along with other major grocery retailers, Tesco was one of the original signatories to the Courtauld Commitment, agreeing to work with Wrap to achieve an overall reduction in packaging waste by 2010.

Roster consultancy Coley Porter Bell’s redesign last July of Tesco’s organic range, across 400 lines, already incorporated biodegradable materials.

Adam Ellis, design director at CPB, says, ‘I don’t believe any big idea will be diluted by a packaging mandate.

Tesco has revealed record profits of £2.5bn for the year ending 24 February, an increase of 13.2 per cent on the previous year.

SUPERMARKET SWEEP
• Tesco sales are up 11% to £46.6bn, with profits of £2.5bn
• The group has made long term commitments on community and environmental issues, including new initiatives on packaging, milk pricing, carbon labelling and regeneration
• Design roster: Rocket, Pemberton & Whitefoord, R Design, Martin Design, Coley Porter Bell, Haines McGregor, Amphora, Point Design, Julie Gibson Associates, Pam Winkworth Design and Thames McGurk