Sainsbury’s has become the first UK company to label its own brand aluminium coffee pods as recyclable, in partnership with Dualit and On-Pack Recycling Label Ltd (OPRL Ltd).
The Big 4 grocer has partnered with the coffee pod manufacturer in a bid to encourage the recycling of aluminum coffee pods.
According to the supermarket, the new label will make it clear of the importance of emptying the pod and rinsing it before placing it in the recycling bin, so that the clean aluminium can be sorted and recycled.
From November, customers will be able to purchase Dualit EcoPress from their local Sainsbury’s store or online, a device which makes it easy to remove the coffee from the aluminum mould.
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“We’re always looking for new ways to help our customers live more sustainably at home, and key to that is making sure any changes are small and easy to implement,” Sainsbury’s director of product and innovation Claire Hughes said.
“That’s why we decided to challenge the notion that aluminium coffee pods can’t be recycled and with consumers more concerned about the planet than ever before, it felt like a natural place to look.
“Whilst we might be the first retailer to label our own brand coffee pods as recyclable, it’s important to understand that many aluminium pods are in fact recyclable. We hope others follow suit and change their packaging to raise awareness and encourage recycling.”
The news comes as earlier this year, Sainsbury’s launched its new tagline ‘Helping Everyone Eat Better’, reflecting its mission to encourage and empower customers to make a positive change for their health and the planet too.
It was also one of the UK’s first major retailers to make a significant commitment to reduce plastic packaging across branded and own brand products by 50 per cent by 2025.
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