British retailer Asda has announced the launch of a new initiative, 'Fishing For Plastic', with which the Walmart-owned operator will seek to tackle marine pollution.
As part of the initiative, Asda is equipping its suppliers' fleets with hardwearing and durable bags, so that crews can collect harmful plastic waste whilst bringing in their catch.
Asda's wild caught fleets in Scotland, Alaska and Norway, as well as other markets, have all agreed to participate in the scheme, the retailer said.
Additional Measures
“At Asda, we’ve worked hard to reduce and remove plastic from across the business but we always looking for ways to further our commitment to protecting the planet and working with our suppliers to tackle the wider issue of plastic pollution is vitally important," commented Laura Babbs, Asda sustainability manager.
"We can’t tackle big climate change issues alone and so it’s important for us to listen to and work in partnership with our suppliers, so we can make a real difference to tackling plastic pollution everyday. This is just a small step in our ongoing sustainability journey, but together with our suppliers, we have the ability to make a big difference."
According to the retailer, since 2018 it has removed 8,000 tonnes of plastics from the oceans, and the retailer recently brought forward its commitments to make almost a third of plastic packaging from recycled sources by the end of 2020, and reduce plastic by 15% by February 2021.
“Keeping plastic waste out of the natural environment is central to the aims of The UK Plastics Pact, so we welcome this move from one of our founding members," added Helen Bird, strategic engagement manager at WRAP, which leads The UK Plastics Pact. "Collaborative working across supply chains is the only way we can tackle the issue of plastic pollution effectively.”
© 2020 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine
