Sainsbury’s has claimed first for a crate recycling scheme which will reduce the number of road journeys in the UK.
It is recycling its old food crates into more efficient ones made from 100 per cent recycled material.
The crates, recycled for Sainsbury’s by Schoeller Allibert, are the first in the UK to be made from 100 per cent recycled material and meet European Food Safety Authority Standards so they can transport food safely.
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Picture: IGD.
The more efficient crate type will significantly reduce empty crate transport – reducing the number of road journeys needed to transport crates back to suppliers.
Simon Stokoe, senior strategy manager for Sainsbury’s Supply Chain said: “This piece of work was not only about making the right decision for Sainsbury’s from an efficiency perspective – it was also about making sure we did it sustainably. A win win.”
To make the new crates, some two million old, inefficient crates are being ground down into plastic flakes. The plastic is used to form 100 per cent recycled food safe crates by Schoeller Allibert – an industry first in the UK. The process produces minimal waste, creating a sustainable packaging cycle. The change makes the whole transport chain more efficient – creating transport volume reduction for suppliers.
Simon Moulson, head of retail sales for Schoeller Allibert said: “Schoeller Allibert’s EFSA-approved recycling and remoulding process has been developed to help retailers meet increasing stringent sustainability targets as well as strict food safety and hygiene standards.”
