Let's hear a round of applause to Asda for opening a new sustainability store in Leeds today.
The supermarket giant has launched its trial store, unveiling a new plastic reduction strategy to help shoppers reuse and recycle without having to pay more.
Asda has partnered with some of the UK's biggest household brands - such as PG Tips, Vimto, Kellogg's, Radox and Persil - offering huge refilling stations to cut down on the need for packaging.
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There are 15 refill stations in total, offering customers more than 30 household goods in a refillable format. These include cereals, tea and coffee, drinks and rice and pasta.
There's also a selection of toiletry refill zones too, including big name brands of shampoo and conditioner as well as hand wash, shower gel, and Persil laundry detergent.
When it comes to fruit and veg, the new store is selling 53 fresh produce lines in a loose and unwrapped format - such as cauliflowers, mushrooms, apples, cabbages and baby plum tomatoes.
And the store has also removed the outer plastic packaging on a number of popular canned goods, such as Heinz and Asda canned multipacks.
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It doesn't stop there! The incredible store also has recycling facilities for items that are notoriously difficult to recycle, such as crisp and biscuit packets, plastic toys, cosmetics and toothpaste tubes.
And it has its first ever 'reverse vending machine' for cans, plastic and glass as well as a hanger recycling facility set to be rolled out across all stores.
It's even launched sustainable fashion lines via George, including clothing made from recycled polyester.
Donating old and used items has just got a lot easier too, with the retailer teaming up with a number of charities - for example with the Salvation Army for a 'Drop and Shop' outlet, where customers can donate unwanted items.
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Alongside this, the supermarket has partnered with Pre-Loved - a vintage wholesaler selling bespoke vintage clothing from well known brands.
Asda is using the Middleton store to test out its incredible new initiatives and is hoping to roll them out to more locations next year.
Roger Burnley, Asda's CEO and President said: "Today marks an important milestone in our journey as we tackle plastic pollution and help our customers to reduce, re-use and recycle. We have always known that we couldn't go on this journey alone, so it is fantastic to work in tandem with more than twenty of our partners and suppliers, who have answered the call to test innovative sustainable solutions with us.
"This is an issue that matters greatly to our customers - our own insight tells us that more than 80% believe that supermarkets have a responsibility to reduce the amount of single use plastics in stores. We want to give them the opportunity to live more sustainably by offering them great product choices and value, underpinned by a promise that they won't pay more for greener options at Asda.
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"During the next few months we will listen to customers and colleagues' feedback on Middleton so we can understand how we can continue to reduce our environmental impacts, whilst continuing to deliver quality service at a great price."
Well done Asda - this is what we like to see!
Featured Image Credit: PA
