Waitrose has confirmed it has stopped supplying free fruit and vegetable bags across its stores, including branches in Solihull and Birmingham, replacing them with 20p mesh versions made from recycled bottles. The move has drawn criticism from some shoppers, while others have voiced support for the change.
Shoppers react to the new 20p bags
One customer expressed frustration, saying: “Well Waitrose, that was sensible taking away plastic bags for loose veg. I very much doubt that’s going to save the planet.” Another shopper said they were “very unimpressed” to discover the compostable bags had been removed “with no warning”.
However, not all feedback was negative. One shopper defended the supermarket chain, commenting: “Good idea, maybe people will use less plastic.”
Waitrose packaging targets and progress
Waitrose has set a target for all its own-brand packaging to be widely recyclable, reusable or home compostable by 2025. According to the retailer, nearly 97% of its own-brand packaging currently meets that target.
The company said it is continuing to remove unnecessary packaging from its supply chain where possible and introduce alternative materials to make recycling easier. In a statement, Waitrose said: “We have a target for all our own-brand packaging to be widely recyclable, reusable or home compostable by 2025. So far, nearly 97% meets that target.”
New packaging initiatives and loose produce push
Waitrose also highlighted efforts to source packaging more sustainably. The retailer said it is launching new packaging materials for its Indian ready meals, using kerbside-collected recycled materials from UK homes. This approach recycles materials back into food-safe packaging, avoiding the use of virgin materials.
The supermarket noted it offers a range of fruit and vegetables with no packaging and has worked with climate NGO WRAP to test new in-store messaging designed to encourage customers to buy more loose produce. Additional initiatives include removing fruit and veg stick-on labels and removing plastic windows from in-store bakery items.
A Waitrose spokesperson said: “We know how much our customers care about doing their bit for the environment, and this step saves around 60 million bags a year, representing a big step forward in the reduction of single-use packaging.”
