Tesco: Turning Used Crisp Packets into Outdoor Furniture
The Tesco 4Rs packaging strategy is a framework designed to reduce the environmental impact of packaging by focusing on four key actions: Remove, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle and is part of a range of sustainability commitments by the store.
- Remove: Tesco aims to eliminate unnecessary packaging wherever possible. This includes removing packaging materials that don't serve a vital function, such as excessive layers of plastic wrapping or secondary packaging that can be avoided.
- Reduce: Where packaging is necessary, Tesco focuses on reducing the amount of material used. This could mean using lighter materials, minimising the size of packaging, or redesigning products to require less packaging overall.
- Reuse: Tesco is exploring and implementing packaging solutions that can be reused. This involves promoting the use of reusable containers, encouraging customers to use refillable options, and participating in initiatives like deposit return schemes.
- Recycle: For packaging that cannot be removed, reduced, or reused, Tesco ensures that it is recyclable. The company is committed to using materials that can be easily recycled and working to improve the recycling infrastructure to ensure more packaging is actually recycled.
From packaging to furniture
Thousands of pieces of soft plastics, like bread bags and crisp packets, collected by customers at Tesco stores are being transformed into outdoor furniture and garden equipment for community gardens designed for NHS Property Services.
Veolia has developed a new recycling process that can turn these hard-to-recycle soft plastics into items like benches, decking, tables, and raised beds.
Tony McElroy, Tesco Head of Campaigns, said: “It’s fantastic to see the soft plastic that our customers are returning being turned into something new that will benefit communities and help give young people a stronger start in life. It’s still our absolute priority to remove and reduce as much plastic as possible and make sure everything we use is recycled and kept out of the environment.”
These recycled products will be donated to the NHSPS Social Prescribing Programme, which aims to bring nature to health centres for patients and the local community to enjoy.
Partnerships with Veolia and Groundwork
This programme is organised by the charity Groundwork, in partnership with NHS Property Services and Veolia, a leading resource management company in the UK. Together, they will create gardens in communities across the country, using furniture and equipment made entirely from soft plastics returned by Tesco customers. For example, it takes over 2,500 pieces of soft plastic to make just one bench.
Adam Wylie, Managing Director - Commercial, at Veolia said: “It’s great to be working on this unique project which brings together three of our partners: Tesco, one of our most innovative partnerships that is bolstering the circular economy; with the NHS in providing energy, decarbonisation and resource management solutions; and Groundwork as our charity partner and with whom we have delivered ambitious social value campaigns across the country to support the local communities we serve every day.
“Utilising recycled materials in green spaces and collaborating across private and public bodies to deliver these social prescribing gardens is a testament to how we can and must all work together to deliver ecological transformation.”
Removing plastic from own brand products
Tesco over 2.3 billion pieces of plastic have been permanently removed from Tesco own brand products in the UK as part of the sustainability programme.
- 200+ million bags from Tesco.com deliveries
- 100+ million extra lids from products such as wipes, creams, yoghurts and desserts
- 50 million pieces of plastic wrapping from cans of branded beers and ciders
The first garden will be built at the John Scott Health Centre in London, owned by NHS Property Services. It will feature trellises, decking, raised beds, seating, and tables—all made from recycled soft plastics like bread bags and crisp packets. This garden is one of 100 hubs and green spaces being developed as part of NHSPS’ social prescribing programme.
Social prescribing offers non-medical ways to help people with various social or health issues, giving them more options and control over their care. By focusing on the root causes of poor health and improving overall wellbeing, social prescribing has become an important tool in healthcare. The demand for services that address social needs is growing, and NHSPS is working with partners to repurpose unused spaces to support local communities in this way.
Graham Duxbury, Groundwork’s UK Chief Executive, said: “This is a great example of innovative thinking to minimise plastic waste while improving much needed open spaces in local communities. We’re proud to be playing our part in delivering this project with the sustainable design expertise and nature-based solutions brought by our Landscape Architects and look forward to seeing the benefits it brings to communities and the environment.”
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