Waitrose has partnered with Müller to trial a replacement of all blue, green and red milk bottle caps with colourless caps in a bid to reduce plastic waste.

Currently, coloured caps can’t be recycled into food-grade packaging. The colourless cap’s material holds higher retention allowing it to be recycled within the food sector.

The move hopes to reduce the retailer’s reliance on virgin plastics and increase the availability of recycled high-density polyethylene (rHDPE) on the market by 1,560 tonnes each year.

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After a successful in-house trial, the clear bottle caps in-store trial will take place from 4 April to 30 April across 331 Waitrose branches.

According to Müller research, eight out of 10 consumers of shoppers are expected to welcome the change and choose a clear cap over a coloured one.

“In an industry that needs access to more rHDPE, we are really excited to collaborate with Waitrose across all of their shops and trial this additional solution,” Müller Milk & Ingredients commercial director Liam McNamara said.

McNamara explained that the supplier’s bottles “already contain up to 40% recycled material” but hopes to look for more ways to add recycled content to the clear caps.

“As the first dairy company in the UK to trial clear caps on fresh milk, we are working hard to innovate and lead in issues that are not only important for customers, but for consumers too,” McNamara added.

“Waitrose packaging innovation lead Karen Graley stated: “As food businesses, we need to do more to protect our planet from unnecessary plastic waste. So we’re delighted to be involved in this trial.”

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