Online grocery retailer Ocado is improving its sustainability by partnering with Polytag to track the recycling of products in its system.

Polytag created invisible UV tags that trace when and where packaging is recycled. Ocado is set to roll out the new technology in its full milk range.

The tags provide tracking data to the retailer and are capable of monitoring 50% of the UK’s recycling stream, which leads to an improvement in sustainability strategies.

Laura Fernandez, senior sustainability Manager at Ocado Retail, said: “[We are] constantly looking for data-driven approaches to reduce environmental impact, and we’re proud to be the first online retailer to introduce Polytag’s UV-watermark technology on our brand range.

Subscribe to Grocery Gazette for free

Sign up here to get the latest grocery and food news each morning

“The technology allows us to truly understand the full lifecycle of our packaging, and make meaningful decisions based on that data. Being able to track  our products through the recycling system is a significant milestone as we pave the way toward more sustainable practices.”

The retailer has also added Polytag QR codes to its packaging with sustainability guides for shoppers and recycling instructions to further promote eco-friendly practices.

Alice Rackley, CEO of Polytag, said: “This is the beginning of an industry-wide shift towards a more transparent recycling system.”

“Ocado Retail’s scale and pace in rolling out this technology has established a template for the whole industry, and proves what’s possible, and necessary, as we enter a new era of accountability for FMCG brands,” she added.